Skip to main content

Ahmedabad citizens' letter opposing Namaste Trump, wall to hide poverty, eviction

Hurriedly built wall to "hide" poverty 
By Our Representative
Several prominent academics of Ahmedabad have written an open letter protesting against the construction of the wall near the Indira Bridge in the city in order to “hide the slums from the eyes of the VVIP visitors to Ahmedabad.” The letter, interestingly, does not say that the wall has been constructed in the wake of the proposed visit of US president Donald Trump, allegedly in order to “hide” the sight of poverty during his three-hour visit to the city on February 24.
“If the government is ashamed of the slums, it should improve them, rather than demean them by hiding them from the VVIPs”, the letter, signed, among others, by Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A) faculty Navdeep Mathur, Sebastian Morris Ankur Sarin and Reetika Khera, veteran economist Prof Indira Hirway, and political scientist Prof Ghanshyam Shah, states. It demands breaking of the wall, and allocating funds from the public exchequer for slum improvement.
“We also take this opportunity to oppose the awfully expensive ‘festivals’ that the government organizes frequently in the state. This is nothing else but utter wastage of public funds for the happiness of a few top leaders in the country. Such expenditure must be avoided”, the letter says.
In a parallel development, several Gujarat activists floated an online petition, called Letter Opposition to Namaste Trump, which, even as condemning the construction of the half-a-kilometre wall and eviction notices to 45 families that have been residing in Motera for the past 20 years, takes strong exception to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation spending Rs 85 crore to facilitate President Trump’s three three-hour visit. The petition seeks signatures by Saturday.
“For those who have lived in Gujarat for the past decades, this privileging of foreign capital over local needs is sadly familiar”, the petition, signed by more than 150 citizens of Ahmedabad, including well-known danseuse Mallika Sarabhai and top enviromentalist Rohit Prajapati, says, adding, “Large infrastructure projects, the most glaring example being the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Project, have time and again resulted in mass evictions and displacement, in the name of attracting foreign direct Investment.”
Pointing out that the Vibrant Gujarat business summits were “likewise promoted as a mechanism to attract foreign business, thus further enriching the elites of the city”, the letter says, “In all of this development, many have been left behind”, adding, “Alongside evicting vulnerable communities in the name of beautification, Gujarat has witnessed wide-scale violence against its minorities, increasing ghettoisation and the systematic erosion of democratic values, which continues today.”
While Howdy Modi event in US allowed thousands to protest, Indian state has preempted expression of dissent before Namaste Trump
The letter continues, “In addition to blatant attempts to create an illusion of a prosperous city, the state has reportedly instructed the police to deny permissions for protest for 15 days prior to Trump’s visit, infringing on the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution.”
NGO Prayas supported protest by slumdwellers of Ahmedabad ahead of Trump visit
Recalling that the “Howdy Modi” event in the US allowed thousands of protestors, the letter regrets, “The Indian state chooses to preempt any expression of dissent before Namaste Trump”, adding, “Both India and the US have seen the rise of authoritarian politics in recent years, with Modi and Trump at the helm.”
Calling Trump “unreservedly racist, Islamophobic, xenophobic and anti-poor since before he entered office. In the past year alone, an unprecedented 69,550 migrant children were separated from their families and held in government custody”, the letter notes, “The list of detained migrants included 52 Indian nationals, one of whom died in US custody in May of last year.”
It says, “Meanwhile, India is set to enact a National Register of Citizens (NRC), which members of the European Union have warned could precipitate the largest statelessness crisis in the world”, adding, "While Trump enacted a ban against refugees and migrants from several Muslim-majority countries, India has enacted Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), a law barring Muslims from neighbouring Muslim-majority countries from receiving expedited citizenship offered to other minority groups.”
Pointing out that “with a spectacular rise in global fascism today, this alignment between the largest democracy in the world and the most powerful one is dangerous not only for India, but for the world as a whole”, the letter says, “We cannot in good conscience support this alliance between forces that are attempting to erode democracy and curb freedom of speech and religion.”
“We cannot stand by as families are deprived of their homes in order to make room for those who wish to remove citizens from their countries”, the letter says, adding, “We unequivocally condemn this fascist alliance, and urge the Indian State to prioritise the needs of its citizens over the greed of the global elite.”

Comments

TRENDING

'Very low rung in quality ladder': Critique of ICMR study on 'sudden deaths' post-2021

By Bhaskaran Raman*  Since about mid-2021, a new phenomenon of extreme concern has been observed throughout the world, including India : unexplained sudden deaths of seemingly healthy and active people, especially youngsters. In the recently concluded Navratri garba celebrations, an unprecedented number of young persons succumbed to heart attack deaths. After a long delay, ICMR (Indian Council for Medical Research) has finally has published a case-control study on sudden deaths among Indians of age 18-45.

SC 'appears to foster' culture of secrecy, does not seek electoral bond details from SBI

By Rosamma Thomas*  In its order of November 2, 2023 on the case of Association for Democratic Reforms vs Union of India contesting constitutional validity of electoral bonds, the Supreme Court directed all political parties to give particulars of the bonds received by them in sealed covers to the Election Commission of India. SC sought that information be updated until September 2023. 

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. 

Only 12% of schools RTE compliant: Whither 6% budgetary allocation for education?

By Ambarish Rai* Despite Indian state’s commitment of 6% GDP on education, the Finance Minister completely ignored right to education for children and strengthening implementation of RTE Act which makes education a fundamental right in her budget speech . The Right to Education (RTE) Forum, which is a collective of different stakeholders in education, condemns this neglect of a legal entitlement, which is unconstitutional and demand for overall increase in the budget to ensure improvement in learning outcomes and overall enhancement of quality education.

Savarkar in Ahmedabad 'declared' two-nation theory in 1937, Jinnah followed 3 years later

By Our Representative One of the top freedom fighters whom BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi revere the most, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, was also a great supporter of the two nation theory for India, one for Hindus another for Muslims, claims a new expose on the man who is also known to be the original proponent of the concept of Hindutva.

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.

Reject WHO's 'draconian' amendments on pandemic: Citizens to Union Health Minister

By Our Representative  Several concerned Indian citizens have written to the Union Health Minister to reject amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) of the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted during the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA75) in May 2022, apprehending this will make the signatories surrender their autonomy to the “unelected, unaccountable and the whimsical WHO in case of any future ‘pandemics’.”

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

'Ambiguous policy': India late in advocating EVs as energy storage in national grid

By Shankar Sharma*  This is regarding the points raised by the Chief Electricity Authority’s (CEA's) advocacy for usage of electrical vehicles (EVs) as energy storage technology, and few associated issues . An objective reading of what he states should reiterate the enormously growing importance of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in our need to transition to a net-zero carbon scenario for the country.

Union Health Ministry, FSSAI 'fail to respond' to NHRC directive on packaged food

By Our Representative  The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed deep concern over the adverse health effects caused by packaged foods high in salt, sugar, and saturated fats. Recognizing it as a violation of the Right to Life and Right to Health of Indian citizens, the quasi-judicial body called for a response from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) regarding its selection of front-of-pack labels aimed at providing consumers with information to make healthier choices.