Barefoot simplicity of struggling leftists

Simple living

He has not worn any footwear for the last 70 years. He does not consume any coffee, tea, beverages or milk. He wears only simple clothes. He has always been on the side of struggle with his leftist ideology.

“Stuggle alone is my life”, says Bheemasi Kaladagi. His leftist thinking began early in his life. “So far I have not compromised with pro-people and farmers issues”, says Gandhi-cap clad Kaladagi, who attended the 20th State level convention of the CPM Party.

This CPM leader from Bijapur was persuaded by many people to wear foowear, but he had adhered to his barefoot simplicity.

His agrument is that many people do not have proper clothes or footwear and he wants to emphathise with them.

He has studied only up to sixth standards, but has written and published a book, “Samajawada.” Despite been barefoot he successfully protested against a corrupt Corporation Commissioner by garlanding him with a garland of slippers.

He resorted to a one month hunger protest to press for the implementation of the Mulawad lift irrigation project.

As many as 420 representatives and 50 observers from various districts are participating in the 20th CPM state convention. Among them Tularam Talawar from the village of Degalamadi of Chincholi taluk in Gulbarga district stands.

This farmer by occupation wears a white turban and dhothi. He was a member of two other parties before deciding to join the CPM Party.  “The people of my district urged me to attend the convention”, he said.