A year-long nationwide programme, organised by the civil society network, National Alliance for People’s Movements (NAPM), kicked off with more than 250 actions held across India on the 79th anniversary of the Quit India Movement and the World Indigenous Peoples Day, August 9, with activists and citizens pledging to defend Constitutional values, deepen democracy and defeat what it identified as “fascist forces.”
Calling the Government of India’s Amrit Mahotsav a farce, NAPM in a statement following the nation-wide programme, said, it was being held “disregarding the farmers’ movement and arresting human rights defenders.”Recalling the contribution of Dr BR Ambedkar and Jaipal Singh Munda with regard to the Constitution of India, NAPM said, “Tens of thousands of people across the country joined forces as part of the nation-wide programmes under the banner Jan Azadi 75.”
Claiming that more than 250 programmes were organized in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Kerala, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, NAPM said, “The day saw significant organizing from adivasi communities in many parts of the country.”
“In Kerala, Satyagraha and street meetings was organized at 75 places by concerned citizens and groups. Uttar Pradesh which goes to polls next year saw massive participation in public meetings, oath-taking, parcha distribution and protest actions by farmers, agricultural workers, women and youth from over 60 places and numerous districts”, NAPM said.
Then, it said, “Urban basti dwellers and Dalit farm workers organized protests in Telangana. Adivasi farmers and youth congregated in Paderu in North Andhra. In different parts of Bihar, public actions were held, such as at Supaul, Araria, Khagadiya and Patna where workers, auto union members, community elders, basti dwellers and young activists participated."
NAPM further said, "Solidarity actions were undertaken with the farmers' movement and NAPM tent at Kisan Andolan in Delhi. Public events were held in different parts of West Bengal which also saw participation by fisher people. Industrial and sanitation workers protested in Bhilai, Chhattisgarh.”
“Everywhere, people raised the important issues plaguing the country and how there is so much more to be achieved in terms of freedoms and rights”, NAPM said, adding, “Activists challenged the claims of the Modi government and lamented the distortion of history and complete negation of the Constitutional values, criminalization of the political dissent, state oppression and destruction of the public sector and all essential entitlements such as food security, education, health and livelihoods. A collective people’s oath was taken at many places.”
Activists associated with NAPM, including Medha Patkar, Dr Sunilam, Richa Singh, Kaladas Dehariya, Kusumam Joseph, Syed Bilal, Tapasi Dolui, Jagdish Khairaliya, Venkatayya, Dolly, Rajkumar Sinha, Ramarao Dora and others participated in the public actions.
“Everywhere, people raised the important issues plaguing the country and how there is so much more to be achieved in terms of freedoms and rights”, NAPM said, adding, “Activists challenged the claims of the Modi government and lamented the distortion of history and complete negation of the Constitutional values, criminalization of the political dissent, state oppression and destruction of the public sector and all essential entitlements such as food security, education, health and livelihoods. A collective people’s oath was taken at many places.”
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