Madhya Pradesh Dalit-Adivasi meet seeks anti-CAA resolution from state assembly

By Our Representative
Thousands of Adivasis, Dalits, farmers and other common citizens gathered in Barwani district to protest against National Population Register (NPR), National Citizen Register (NRC) and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) under the banner 'Save the Constitution Jan Andolan', raising the demand from the Madhya Pradesh government to pass a resolution in the Legislative Assembly regarding not implementing NPR in the state.
Organised by the Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan (JADS), Madhya Pradesh, they felt that poor and common citizens will be harassed by NRC and the religion-based discrimination of CAA. Other organizations which coordinated the protest included the Adivasi Mukti Sangathan, Adivasi Vidyarthi Sangathan, Bhim Army, Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), and the Century Mill Sangharsh Samiti.
Addressing the gathering, well-known academic and Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav said, "The Prime Minister says that those who oppose can be identified by their clothes. I wish he could have seen this historic gathering, the clothes of the young, the tribal women, how everyone is here today."

"But alas", Yadav said, "The Prime Minister only sees cap and hijab. I wish he had seen another cloth, that of tricolor, too. " Regarding the NPR and NRC, he added, "One must remember Gandhiji's non-cooperation movement, and consider boycotting the NPR process. Babasaheb Ambdkar's Constitution is on our side."
Bureaucrat-turned-politician Harsh Mander, who had served as sub-divisional officer at Barwani, shared the experience of his visit to detention centres in Assam, saying, the NRC process in that state declared 14 lakh Hindus, including Adivasis, foreigners, and the only reason was, they couldn't prove their Indianness by producing relevant papers.
"Today in Barwani, we have proved that we are still the children of Gandhi and not of Godse, and we will stand in defence of the Constitution", Mander added.

NBA leader Medha Patkar said, "When they come to ask for votes, they do not ask for any papers", adding, "Today Assam is burning, it is firmly opposed to NRC and CAA, which are dividing the country on the basis of religion, which is unacceptable."
Nasri Bai of JADS wondered, “Why do we not pay attention to our basic rights and needs like health, education, employment, agrarian crisis and development? The general public is well aware of the problems faced by tem because of government papers like caste certificate, ration card, aadhaar."
Pointing out that "proving citizenship will add to our woes", she added, "Showing more papers is not acceptable to us. We will not show them!"

Comments

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Structural retrogression? Steady rise in share of self-employment in agriculture 2017-18 to 2023-24

By Ishwar Awasthi, Puneet Kumar Shrivastav* The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) launched the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) in April 2017 to provide timely labour force data. The 2023-24 edition, released on 23rd September 2024, is the 7th round of the series and the fastest survey conducted, with data collected between July 2023 and June 2024. Key labour market indicators analysed include the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR), and Unemployment Rate (UR), which highlight trends crucial to understanding labour market sustainability and economic growth.

Will Bangladesh go Egypt way, where military ruler is in power for a decade?

By Vijay Prashad* The day after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka, I was on the phone with a friend who had spent some time on the streets that day. He told me about the atmosphere in Dhaka, how people with little previous political experience had joined in the large protests alongside the students—who seemed to be leading the agitation. I asked him about the political infrastructure of the students and about their political orientation. He said that the protests seemed well-organized and that the students had escalated their demands from an end to certain quotas for government jobs to an end to the government of Sheikh Hasina. Even hours before she left the country, it did not seem that this would be the outcome.

Venugopal's book 'explores' genesis, evolution of Andhra Naxalism

By Harsh Thakor* N. Venugopal has been one of the most vocal critics of the neo-fascist forces of Hindutva and Brahmanism, as well as the encroachment of globalization and liberalization over the last few decades. With sharp insight, Venugopal has produced comprehensive writings on social movements, drawing from his experience as a participant in student, literary, and broader social movements.

Will Left victory in Sri Lanka deliver economic sovereignty plan, go beyond 'tired' IMF agenda?

By Atul Chandra, Vijay Prashad* On September 22, 2024, the Sri Lankan election authority announced that Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) alliance won the presidential election. Dissanayake, who has been the leader of the left-wing JVP since 2014, defeated 37 other candidates, including the incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP) and his closest challenger Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.

End India's arms trade with Israel as part of comprehensive sanctions on Israel, demands NAPM

Counterview Desk Civil rights network National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) has said that Israel’s horrendous year-long genocidal war on Palestine and its continued attacks on Lebanon calls for global action.

Authorities' shrewd caveat? NREGA payment 'subject to funds availability': Barmer women protest

By Bharat Dogra* India is among very few developing countries to have a rural employment guarantee scheme. Apart from providing employment during the lean farm work season, this scheme can make a big contribution to important needs like water and soil conservation. Workers can get employment within or very near to their village on the kind of work which improves the sustainable development prospects of their village.

A significant event that has revitalized fundamental right of freedom of expression for journalists

By Vikas Meshram* The recent remark made by the Supreme Court -- that cases can’t be lodged against journalists for criticising Government -- is a significant event that has revitalized the fundamental rights of freedom of expression for journalists. The core of journalism in a democracy is to examine the policies, plans, and governance of the government and present the truth to the public. For this purpose, it is necessary for journalists to have the right to criticize fearlessly.

Search This Blog