National consultation on danger of eviction of lakhs of forest dwellers after July 10

By A Representative
Several civil rights organizations have decided to hold a day-long consultation on forest rights movements and the way forward in New Delhi July 2, 2019 against the backdrop of the fear that lakhs of forest dwellers may again be on the verge of an “existential crisis” after July 10, the date till which the Supreme Court gave a reprieve on February 23 for its controversial February 13 order, directing state governments to evict them if their claims under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) have been rejected.
The consultation will be held to press upon Central and state governments to implement FRA “effectively and unconditionally” in all forest regions, including Critical Forest Areas, even as working out a plan for a united struggle with the “collective initiative” of diverse forest rights organisations/groups and supporters in different walks of life, including journalists, lawyers, researchers, social action groups and others.
The consultation proposes to begin a dialogue with political parties to bring FRA in the mainstream of political discourse so that this historic act can become an important political issue during and after the electoral process. A decision may be taken to form an all-India alliance with organisations/groups, actively engaged in forest rights movement to represent the collective voice and to take forward the task ahead.
To be held at Assam Association, Srimanta Sankaradeva Bhawan, Satsang Vihar Marg, Qutab Institutional Area, the consultation will be preceded by a meeting of the Bhumi Adhikar Andolan on July 1, 2019 which will be critically discussing on the Land Acquisition Act 2013, the various state legislations which has been drafted in this regard.
The organizers of the consultation include Jitendra Choudhary of the Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch, Hannan Mollah and Prem Singh of the Bhumi Adhikar Andolan, Roma and Ashok Choudhary of the All India Union of Forest Working People, Meera Sanghamitra and Madhuresh Kumar of the National Alliance of People’s Movements, and Shweta, Satyam Shrivastava, Sanjeev Kumar, Anil Varghese of the Delhi Solidarity Group.

To Sonam Wangchuk: 'Will undertake 70 hour solidarity fast in Gujarat'

By Martin Macwan * Dear Colleague Sonam Wangchuk, I have never met you personally. I wrote a short article at the time of your arrest. Your work correctly introduces you. There is truth in your words. You have embarked on a fast, following the footsteps of Gandhiji. Your intention is to make people think. Your demand is reasonable; I believe that the resignation of a single education minister will not improve the state of education in India. However, the question you have raised is extremely important for the future generation of the marginalized. Education is the key to power, development, and progress, which empowers a citizen.

US civil society coalition slams Hudson Institute for hosting RSS leaders

By A Representative The Hudson Institute ’s “New India Conference,” held on April 23, featured senior figures from India’s ruling political ecosystem, including RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale and BJP foreign affairs head Vijay Chauthaiwale . The event also included U.S. officials and former diplomats such as Kurt Campbell, Kenneth Juster, and Nisha Biswal, alongside India’s Ambassador to the U.S., Vinay Kwatra.

Remembering Rampur ka Tiraha: State violence and the birth of Uttarakhand’s struggle

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* In the turbulent political landscape of the early 1990s, India witnessed events that reshaped its social and regional equations. After the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992, Uttar Pradesh politics shifted dramatically, bringing the Samajwadi Party–Bahujan Samaj Party coalition to power in 1993 under Mulayam Singh Yadav. But the partnership was uneasy. Mulayam was never entirely comfortable playing the “Mandal card.” While Kanshi Ram and the BSP had consistently demanded the implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations, Mulayam hesitated, wary of how the move might play out.

Counterview

Search This Blog