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With basic right to living denied to them, citizens of Kudankulam surrender their right to vote
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Editorial: The Kudankulam struggle. 4 2. Spotlight: Hasty Commissioning of Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant is Against People's Interest 9 3. Agriculture and Climate Change an Organic Farmers Perspective.. 11 4. Strengthening Local Economy in view of Economic Crisis 14 5. Report: Witnessing the Mazdoor Mela in Katihar, Bihar 16 6. Understanding Cartoon Liberalism?............................ 19 7. News and Notes from the frontlines. 21
* Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (UK) withdraws Safety Award to Vedanta Aluminum Limited: Pending Investigation 21 * Travesty of Justice in Bathanitola Massacre, Bihar Judgement. 22 * No Acquisition for Profiteering is Welcome but National Development Planning, Resettlement and Rehabilitation Act is needed. 22 * Reports of Comptroller and Auditor General of India vindicates NAPMs stand on discrepancies in the working of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority, Mumbai.. 23 * 15,000 oustees of Maheshwar dam march in Mandleshwar against the MOEF Order of submergence which may cause death of thousands of people... 25 * Update from Anti POSCO struggle, Jagatsinghpur. 26 * Update from Struggle Against the Lower Subansiri Dam Project in North East India: Akhil Gogoi starts indefinite fast. 26 * NAPM UP State Convention, April 27, Lucknow. 28 * Narmada: Meeting of Young Minds, May 19-20, Badwani, Madhya Pradesh.. 28 * January 30,1948 Film screening and discussion with Dr Ram Puniyani in Lucknow, May 8-10, Lucknow. 28 * 4th National Conference of National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers, May 26-28, Dehradun, Uttarakhand. 28
EDITORIAL TEAM SR Darapuri Joe Athialy Madhuresh Kumar Mukta Srivastava Clifton DRozario Rahul Pandey ADVISORY TEAM Medha Patkar Aruna Roy Sister Celia SG Vombatkere Garbriele Dietrich SR Suniti Sandeep Pandey Trilochan Sastry Ajit Sahi Neelabh Mishra
PUBLISHER Sanjay Mangala Gopal NAPM, Haji Habib Building, A-Wing, Naigaon Cross Road, Dadar (E), Mumbai 400014. Maharashtra Send in SUBSCRIPTIONS, SPONSORSHIPS, DONATIONS, & ARTICLES to: Dr Sandeep Pandey / Bobby Ramakant, C-2211, Indira Nagar, Lucknow 226016. UP Phone: +91 9839073355 bobbyramakant@yahoo.com
Contributions can be made through Cheques in the name of THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA Layout, design: CNS, www.citizen-news.org
Photo credit: Amirtharaj Stephen
8. Film review: Jai Bhim Comrade - A bold reality 29 9. Forthcoming events. 31 10. Obituary (Shri Kantilal Shah). 31
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EDITORIAL
We
have been fighting against the Koodankulam Nuclear power Project (KKNPP) since the late 1980s. This Russian project was shelved right after the Soviet Unions collapse and taken up again in 1997. The Indian government and Russians have constructed two huge reactors of 1000 MW each without any consent of or consultation with the local people. We have just obtained the outdated Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report after 23 years of long and hard struggle. The Indian nuclear authorities have not shared any basic information about the project with the public. They do not give complete and truthful answers for our questions on the daily routine emissions from these reactors, the amount and management of nuclear waste, fresh water needs, impact of the coolant water
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on our sea and seafood, decommissioning costs and effects, Russian liability and so forth. We are deeply disturbed by all this. Our people watched the Fukushima accident of March 11, 2011 on TV at their homes and understood the magnitude and repercussions of a nuclear accident. Right after that on July 1, 2011, the KKNPP announced the hot run of the first reactor that made so much noise and smoke. Furthermore, the authorities asked the people, in a mock drill notice, to cover their nose and mouth and run for their life in case of an emergency. As a result of all these, our people in Koodankulam and Idinthakarai villages made up their minds and took to the streets on their own on August 11, 2011. Then we all together decided to host a day-long hunger strike on August 16 at Idinthakarai and a three-day
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fast on August 17-19 at Koodankulam. On the 17th itself authorities invited us for talks and asked us to postpone our struggle to the first week of September because of the upcoming Hindu and Muslim festivals. In a few days time, the chief of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) announced that the first reactor would go critical in September 2011. So we embarked upon an indefinite hunger strike on September 11, 2011 and our women blocked a state road on September 13 for a few hours when the state and central governments continued to ignore us. The state Chief Minister invited us for talks on September 21 and passed a cabinet resolution the next day asking the central , 2011, we have been on a relay hunger strike continuously. We have been carrying out massive rallies, village campaigns, public meetings, seminars, conferences, and other demonstrations such as shaving our heads, cooking on the street, burning the models of the nuclear plants etc. When the state government of Tamil Nadu arrested some 200 of our comrades on March 19, 2012, 15 of us embarked on an indefinite hunger strike until March 27. This struggle has been going on for more than 260 days and the morale of the people is still very high. There is no foreign country or agency or money involved in this classic peoples struggle to defend our right to life and livelihood. Our fishermen, farmers, workers and women make small voluntary donations in cash and kind to sustain our simple
government to halt all the work until the fears and concerns of the local people were allayed. We ended our hunger strike on the 22nd but went on another round of indefinite hunger strike from October 9 to 16 when the talks with the Indian Prime Minister failed. We laid siege in front of the KKNPP on October 1316, 2011 when the KKNPP authorities did not halt work at the site as per the Tamil Nadu state cabinet resolution. We ended both the indefinite hunger strike and the siege on October 16 in order for our people to participate in the local body elections on the 17th. From October 18 Gandhian struggle. Our needs are very few and expenses much less. We only provide safe drinking water to the hunger strikers and visitors. People from all over Tamil Nadu (and sometimes from other parts of India) come on their own, arranging their own transportation. For our own occasional travel, we hire local taxis. Instead of understanding the peoples genuine feelings and fulfilling our demands, the government has foisted serious cases of sedition and waging war on the Indian state on the leaders of our movement. There are more than 200 criminal cases against us. There has been police harassment, intelligence officers stalking, concocted news reports in the progovernment media, abuse of our family members, hate mail, death threats and even physical attacks.
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Our leaders and the group of 15 women were physically attacked on January 31, 2012 at Tirunelveli by the Congress thugs and Hindutva Fascists when we had gone for talks with the central government expert team. Now the government cuts electricity supply so often and so indiscriminately in order to drive home the message that nuclear power plant is needed for additional power. They try to create resentment and opposition among the public against our anti-nuclear struggle. To put it all in a nutshell, this is a classic David-Goliath fight between the ordinary citizens of India and the powerful Indian government supported by the rich Indian capitalists, MNCs, imperial powers and the global nuclear mafia. They promise FDI, nuclear power, development, atom bombs, security and superpower status. We demand risk-free electricity which doesnt
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jeopardise our health, unpolluted natural resources, sustainable development and a future free from harm. They say the Russian nuclear power plants are safe and can withstand earthquakes and tsunamis. But we worry about their side-effects and after-effects. They speak for their scientist friends and business partners and have their eyes on commissions and kickbacks. But we fight for our children and grandchildren, our progeny, our animals and birds, our land, water, sea, air and the skies. Right now, the Indian government is trying to commission the KKNPP reactors without conducting the mandatory disaster training and evacuation exercises with the people in the 30-km radius. The government and the Department of Atomic Energy have not told the people anything about the
Koodankulam nuclear waste and its management, the secretive liability agreement between New Delhi and Moscow, or the geology, hydrology, oceanography and seismology issues with regards to the Koodankulam reactors. Since May 1, some 300 women and 25 men were on an indefinite hunger strike with 11 demands. The Indian government or the state government has not come forward to talk to the people about our demands. Instead, they have embarked upon an intimidating campaign. And the struggle continues.
SP Udayakumar
The author leads People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE), National Alliance of Anti-nuclear Movements (NAAM)
June July 2012
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Spotlight
people or their own scientists are incompetent. In any case, it raises the question about what would happen in the case of some accident. Would we have to wait for Russian or Croatian scientists to come and tell us how to handle the calamity? Ms. Jayalalitha must show the same kind of sensitivity towards her own people as she is presently demonstrating towards the Tamils of Sri Lanka. She is willing to approach the United Nations to raise this issue and has accorded the same status to Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka as her own citizens except for the voting right in her state. For the roughly fifty thousand people living in Idinthakarai, East and West Vijaypathi, Thillaivanamthoppu, Avoavaioapuram, Kuttapanai, Kuttankali, Ovari, Periyatalai, Koodtalai, Perumanal, Kuttapulli, Kudankulam, Vairavikinaru, Chittikulam and Thommyarpuram it is a human rights violation when they are kept in the dark about the implications of setting up a nuclear power plant in their neighbourhood. The government must ensure that people receive the Site Evaluation Study, Safety Analysis Report, a fresh Environment Impact Assessment report, Inter Governmental Agreement on liability with the Russian government, etc. The people also want training in disaster management and evacuation exercise to be prepared for the worst. They also want to
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know how the radioactive waste is going to be disposed. The PM will appreciate that any thinking people would like to have this information. If a nuclear power plant was going to builtbe in his neighbourhood the PMwould like to be informed of all the consequences of such a plant for the health of his family members. The people need to be assured about the hydrological, geological, oceanographical and seismological issues which might impact their lives and livelihood, which for most of the people here is fishing. The Kudankulam plant is also going to devour the only lobster and prawn breeding spot at Chenkulaneerodai. But instead of treating people with respect which they deserve in a democracy they have been slapped with cases of sedition and waging war against state. About five thousand people face legal cases in a total of 197 FIRs. From these figures it would appear to be a very violent movement. On the contrary the movement has remained so peaceful till date that even police have not been able to provoke the protestors like in some of the other peaceful movements around the country. That there has been no violence in this movement so far which is a unique feature of this movement and the credit goes to the fisherfolk of Tirunelveli. The government must withdraw all the false cases and release two of the activists still in jail, Sathish Kumar and Muhilan. The PM has also claimed that the Indian nuclear plants are safe because none of them had had any accident so far. The truth is quite the opposite. Almost, all nuclear power plants run by DAE, like Kalpakkam, Narora, Kaiga, Kakrapar, Tarapur have had some accident. Can we forget the fire in Narora in 1993, or the collapse of containment dome under construction at Kaiga in 1994, or the heavy water leak at Kakrapar in 1997, or the valve failure leading to massive radiation doses to workers at Kalpakkam in 2003? It has been just our sheer luck that things have remained under control so far. But it
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is quite obvious that PM has not been informed about the facts. The PM says that when it comes to safety there will be no compromise. On one occasion earlier he said with respect to corruption he will follow a policy of zero tolerance. Mega scams in the country have proved how hollow his words are. He must realise that his words will not provide safety. When a technologically much superior country like Japan with a highly conscientious citizenry could not handle the Fukushima disaster does he expect his half prepared and reason blind DAE scientists and ill-informed people to do the job? Finally, the attack on school run by Meera Udayakumar needs condemnation as well as attempts by some Hindutva fundamentalist groups to give the antiKudankulam struggle a communal colour. The nuclear radiation will not distinguish between a Christian and a Hindu. Rather than be motivated by some obscure national interest peoples interest must be considered sovereign. The impounding of S.P. Udayakumar's passport and filing of false case against him of beating Panchayat Presidents husband are examples of desperate and unethical attempts to browbeat the activist. The government should demonstrate the same dignity with which the movement has been carried out and respect the democratic right of people to protest peacefully.
Dr Sandeep Pandey
The author is a Ramon Magsaysay Awardee and a National Convener, NAPM
June July 2012
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In addition, the Pesticides entered our soil, water, the food we ate and finally landed in our blood stream. So, we became weaker and got more diseases. So, we had to treat them with more medicines. Now these medicine companies, called Pharmaceutical companies, which as we see around Hyderabad, release their chemicals into everything around them, polluting rivers, seas, and most importantly destroying our agriculture, and killing the people who live around these factories. Not to speak of the pollution they release into the atmosphere. Now an increase in disease would mean, an increase in Hospitals too, and also in biomedical equipment. Therefore, more construction needed, more air-conditioning needed, thus more cement factories, more mining for limestone, more digging up the sand in the rivers (illegally mostly), thus less water in our rivers and more pollution in our air and a bigger hole in the Ozone layer. And all this construction and the manufacturing factories would also require more electricity. Oh, and the demand for more paddy and commercial crops, means more borewells (meaning also more bankruptcy of farmers and pollution of ground water) and need for lift irrigation projects in the dry land regions (like the Krishna Water scheme), meaning more demand for electricity, meaning more coal mines, thermal power plants resulting in higher temperatures at global levels and even at local levels, meaning an impact on Agricultural Production, which we try to solve by using more fertilisers. And of course, more cancers in people, from the chemicals in our food, fish, water, from the pollution from the factories and from the radiation from mining and the fly ash of thermal plants - needing more chemo therapy. Thus the need for nuclear plants, meaning more trouble for people by way of nuclear radiation and of course more loss in agricultural and forest land, for all these various projects and less trees available for absorbing the greenhouse gases they release. Thus, an increase in
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Crops grown in these unfertile, weak soils required higher use of pesticides to withstand the pest attacks as the plants did not have their inherent immunity, unlike the traditional variety crops which we abandoned with the Green Revolution. The use of pesticides killed farmer friendly insects and birds that naturally fed on these pests. This increased the population of pests. So, they needed more and more pesticides. The Pesticides and the Chemical fertilisers use petroleum products in their manufacture and their increased use meant an increase in Green House Gases.
global warming, resulting in erratic climates, which means either a drop in production levels or loss of standing crops to flash floods and the further impoverishment of the farmers. People mostly industry people and scientists say, we cannot do away with the chemicals in agriculture. We need them, for the yields they give us. They forget to mention that in order to maintain the same yields; farmers have to use more chemicals. They also do not mention that we have paid an extremely high price
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(social and environmental) for these yields. And also seem to forget that despite these huge yields millions of Indians go hungry to bed, while food grains rot in the godowns. Its another matter, that the food we get out of this high yielding chemical agriculture is not food, but Poison, since it comes with the residue of the Poison it is supposed to kill the insects with, (which are supposed to reduce the yield). But of course, a big lobby of industry supported agricultural scientists and certain people claiming to be farmers leaders will continue to argue that organic agriculture is a utopian idea, whereas, in real terms farmers cannot make two ends meet unless they use this conventional agriculture and keep demanding more technology. Somehow, they simply forget that the increase in the cost of agriculture from all these new technologies and increase of chemicals is impoverishing our farmers pushing them to suicides no, we should call them murders nearly 250,000 farmers are said to have been pushed to death in 15 years in this country and yet we are told by certain farmer leaders and agricultural scientists (who would never do any agriculture themselves), that a farmer needs this type of agriculture for his survival! (Somehow they cannot see the success stories of more and more organic farmers across the country). And now we are being told that in order to reduce the pesticides in agriculture, (which are failing leading to crop losses and farmers suicides) we need to use Genetically Modified crops that is create plants that can produce their own poisons; there is no need to spray the poison from outside. So, earlier, we thought we were able to wash away the poison with water, before cooking, now the poison comes with the plant, so whether we like it or not, the plants that are supposed to feed us, and give us nutrition, so that we may have the necessary strength to fight the bacteria, will now come with the bacterial gene. God knows what this will result in.
is food and this is good for us. They say if we dont use these poisonous crops, we will not be able to feed the 9 billion populations which we are supposed to become by 2050! I wonder with all this disease, and global warming, will we be 9 billion or 9 million by then? Perhaps, its better to die of hunger than be ridden with strange diseases! I, as a farmer want my independence to grow what I chose to, which will be taken away by these Genetically Modified crops, which contaminate every other seed, taking away the independence of the farmer. Taking away my choice to eat food and not poison. Eating these poisons since the green revolution, people have become diseased both in body and mind. Its no wonder then that they wish to forget that we are a part of nature and we need to follow certain rules stipulated by nature. Our greed and arrogance has brought us to a state which fails to recognise that come what may, human beings have to be subordinate to nature, and we cannot control nature. There is a solution: that is to respect the natural laws and do agriculture according to them. But we dont see the writing on the wall. We continue to see farming as a trade, an enterprise, its like wanting to trade in blood, sucking everything beyond the capacity of the body and expecting the body to survive. Agriculture is surely and has to be a way of life, it cannot be a trade. We have already wrecked havoc across the globe by making agriculture into an enterprise. Its not like you control nature with the switch of a button. Hence, you cannot control agriculture too with a switch of a button because crops and food still are a part of nature. The sooner we understand this, the better it is for us.
But, I, as a farmer, chose to grow food that nourishes the body, not give poison to people. That was the essence of the Indian Farmer, the Anna Daata. Today, scientists and corporations are engineering plants that grow poison and are telling us that this
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Sarasvathy Kavula
The author is a State Co-convener (Andhra Pradesh) of NAPM
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transportation and warehousing costs all of which will translate to availability of better quality of food at reduced food prices. 3. House construction using locally available materials suitable to local environment many modern innovations like compressed mud blocks using locally available mud and masonry skills have been developed by institutes like Indian Institute of Sciences. This shall bring more work to local artisans and masons while reducing the high transportation costs and the High Carbon Foot prints, which we find in House Construction. 4. Rain water harvesting, water conservation and improving local water structures like ponds and lakes which will remove the need for huge lift irrigation schemes, dams and transportation / fuel costs involved in water transportation. 5. Localised cloth production using locally available materials reduces energy usage, increases local employment opportunities. 6. Locally managed sanitation, waste management systems, which will ensure cleaner rivers, better health and reduced costs of cleaning our environment. 7. Strengthening local markets like mandis increases small enterprises and reduces transportation/ fuel costs. 8. Strengthening of essential public services like Health care and education locally to reduce the emigration of people in search of these facilities thus reducing the impacts of urbanisation. These facilities must be under local governments for responsible delivery of services. The above proposed initiatives will strengthen our local economies reducing
The fall of the rupee is translating into higher petroleum costs, higher transportation costs, and higher agricultural input costs and thus having a cascading effect on the entire economy and making the cost of sustenance of the common people sky rocket. We, at NAPM, believe that the way out of this crisis is to fall back on the Indian model of localised economies
our vulnerability due to global events, while also ensuring a better quality of life with a healthier sustainable environment.
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Report
us that the end would be perfect . By 9 am more sathis Ashish Ji, Kamayani Ji, some student volunteers and people from Araria had arrived, which gave a new vigor to the team! We had managed to make the crowd sufficiently curious the previous day during the stage set up activities at the Mansahi Hatiya ( local market held weekly ) and miking around various Panchayats, so it wasn't a surprise when people started flowing in at as early as 10.30 am. We started at 11 am with the captivating words of Ashish Ji on the significance of Labour Day around the world and the exploitation of the labourers still very prevalent in these areas of the country. Ashish Ji also called for the Mazdoor brothers and sisters to become one, speak up as one and demand their rights as one! The crowd became overwhelmed with slogans like "Duniya Ke Mazdoor Ek Hon" and "Har Haath Ko Kaam Do, Kaam Ka Poora Daam Do"
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The day progressed with Kamayani Ji taking over the stage and letting the crowd know about the structure of the programme. She also discussed how NREGA was marred by corruption and the experiences from Araria as well. Her words provoked the crowd to think how Sixth Pay Commission allocated wages for one principal secretary of over 1,00,000 rupees a month, about 3300 rupees a day, as against the wage of 144 for unskilled manual labour and what were the reasons for such differences even though physical labour was more challenging and hazardous. Different sections of the society showed up at the Mela in solidarity. These included College Professors Chandana Jha and Pawan Kumar Jha who talked to the masses at length about their problems and gave their insight on various issues related to inequality as
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well as local MLA Manohar Prasad Singh from Manihari, who tried to convince people that he will be supportive of all the development schemes in the region. Never before had Mansahi witnessed such gathering of Mazdoor brothers and sisters at such a massive scale! The willingness to share and discuss problems on such a forum, whether it be a Sathi from JJSS, a student volunteer, an MLA or someone from the audience was very strong. People were willing to share and understand each others problems and looked for ways to find a solution. Many workers were found getting their queries resolved from our Sathis like ' Job card milne par kitna wage milega ( How much wage should we get merely by getting the job card ) ', ' What is the role of the nominee',' Requests that the
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post office should be able to serve more than 25-30 labourers in day, which it usually does since the number of labourers was more than 250 in the area. Meanwhile the crowd at the stalls was growing at an untellable rate! Stalls for labour equipments like Hasua ( Used to cut grass etc. ), Tasla ( Used to mix sand ), Ploughs etc. were put up which made these equipments available at a lower price than the market and also at a distance much nearer than the market. Other stalls were put up for clothes, toys and books. A stall by Pratham showcased innovative learning methods and invited children who were having difficulty understanding any particular subjects to come forward and discuss their queries. Even the administration had put up a health camp to provide primary health care facilities to these villagers. Many people got their check ups done here. The primary focus for each of these stalls was to provide the basic necessities of a labourer at the cheapest and most affordable rate. A happy surprise was on being announced that the stalls would close for sometime during a particular programme, the people actually came forward and requested not to close the stalls! The JJSS sathis presented songs on the problems of corruption, poverty, the struggle for food etc. These revolutionary songs sung by the union members and lead by Shivnarayan Ji and Jiten Ji were written and composed by them in the local dialect! Slogans like ' Jab tak Bhookha Insan Rahega, Dharti Par Toofan rahega', ' Naya Zamana Ayega, Kaun Layega. Hum Layenge', ' Har Haath Ko Kaam Do, Kaam Ka Poora Daam Do' floated and cut straight through the hearts of those present! Later there was an interesting play by a Theatre group, Modern Theatre, from Begusarai which came specifically for the Mela. The play captured the problem of distress migration in an interesting way. It depicted how labourers flee to cities every year in search of better employment opportunities
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and how, due to this the women folk are left behind taking care of the entire house hold. The crowd seemed to be thrilled by the play and was forced to think if at all such migration was needed and whether the available resources could be utilised in a better way to provide employment opportunities in native areas only. The mela was an innovative and engaging way to connect with the rural population of these areas of Bihar. Apart from the entertainment, it demanded and received involvement in a completely different way! The people could be seen discussing their specific problems related to NREGA, Anganwadi and Pension schemes. It spread awareness in an indescribable manner. The curious gazes and looks of acknowledgment were worth all the efforts that JJSS had put in for arranging an event of this size! The most beautiful sight was when on our way back from the Mansahi Hatiya to the Katihar railway station every second person, whether on a two wheeler, or rickshaw or foot, could be seen carrying a Tasla for sure! It was indicative of the fact that the imprints of the Mela would not just stay as these equipments but also as the awareness that we could bring in these areas which have stayed in the dark for too long!
Sushmita Verma
(The author is a volunteer with Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan - JJSS)
June July 2012
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our children as why Ambedkar questioned Gandhi and that Gandhi was supporting the caste system while Ambedkar wanted to annihilate it. One agrees with Yogendra Yadav and his friends that they tried to give Dr Ambedkar a space in the school text books. How ironic and sad is this comment that a person who is one of the most iconic figures of our times is denied space in the text books. If our social scientists are true to their convictions why dont they put annihilation of castes in our school curriculum as compulsory text so that people will understand who stood for what. Dont we know that it is one of the most outstanding essays of our time which is needed to be promoted in our entire text book to make India a nation who really want to eliminate caste system? However, we do understand the pulls and pressures of educational system. It is a well known fact how our academia behave in the issues particularly that of the people who have challenged the hegemony of the caste Hindus. The outcome is the denial of space to icons of the historically marginalised communities in our text books as well as Universities. There is nothing if we claim that we have attempted to give Ambedkar space in the school text book as we must realise that Ambedkar deserves much more than that as it is not the loss of Ambedkar if his writings are not in our text books in schools and Universities. It is the loss of India and its children as they grow up and qualify in social sciences without understanding Indias caste system and social inequality. It is in this context that each one of us who follow Ambedkar felt betrayed. It is also important to understand that by and large reaction against the publication of the cartoons has been more than mature. Except for a few on the fringe who
claim to represent political parties, most of the people felt that the cartoons really hurt and rightfully expressed their view points in various forms. It is democratic rights of the people to express their opinion about a piece of writing which offend and there is nothing wrong if Parliament takes up this matter and resolved it. The attempt to assault Prof Suhas Parliskar in Pune is the most condemnable. It is important to acknowledge the work done by him as well as Yogendra Yadav remains extraordinary in many cases. There is no issue in differences of opinion but branding them as people who deliberately try to defame Ambedkar is absolutely wrong and must be countered. Historical figures will always be critically analysed and there will be many things which we may not like and hence we must be prepared for that. Ambedkar will not become small with these critical writings and his followers will always believe in him as the work done by him is so vast and so important for the growth of a liberal democratic society that it would be difficult for people to ignore him. Ignoring Ambedkar was the Brahmanical manipulation of controlling information as he exposed the entire system of injustice build up by them. We do not support withdrawal of cartoons but we want a complete and impartial history in our textbooks. Therefore let HRD minister introduce annihilation of caste and Gandhi- Ambedkar debate on caste system in our schools and University curriculum so that our students can develop a spirit of inquiry and question everything. Such essays would make our minds more rational so that we are not swept in the war cry of emotions and rhetoric. Let us taste the tolerance of the nation by introducing those who questioned the mainstream, its culture and values.
VB Rawat
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Pending Investigation
It is unclear whether any of these deaths occurred at the VAL refinery which was up for the award. However as recently as 30 April 2012, according to a report in Indias Business Standard [30 April 2012]: At least one person was killed and four others received minor injuries during a fire accident in Vedanta Aluminas refinery at Lanjigarh on 28 April 2012. Vedanta Aluminium president, Mukesh Kumar, issued a statement confirming that, The project manager of our red mud refining agency, S Ganeshan, died during the fire accident , which Mr Kumar blamed on a possible electrical fault and heavy rains (sic). We feel it would be extremely insensitive to the family of the dead man if VAL were now honoured with any kind of safety award. Back in August 2010 the British Safety Council withdrew two international safety awards made to BALCO another Indian subsidiary of the London listed Vedanta Resources mining company which owns VAL. This step was taken in response to information provided by The Observer newspaper which revealed that BALCO had failed to mention the deaths of 43 employees after a 2009 chimney collapse, when it applied for the award. Vedanta/Balco manifestly omitted to divulge vital information when making its application for the 2010 British Safety Council awards. The BSCs delayed withdrawal of these awards created unwelcome publicity for them, and revealed an organisational failure to adequately assess information supplied by Vedanta. At the Lanjigarh refinery, which is subject to the current awards, VAL has also acted in contravention of environmental and planning laws, by continuing to expand the Lanjigarh refinery, despite an order to stop by
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On 12 May the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents announced that it would withhold its 2012 Silver award for safety to Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL), for its operations at the Lanjigarh bauxite refinery in the state of Orissa, India, pending further investigation into the safety standards at the plant. RoSPAs decision came after complaints by environmental and human rights groups in India that VAL had omitted to mention that there were two serious safety breaches during 2011 when the red mud pond at this plant burst its banks, spilling caustic residue into the local environment. While these incidents are denied by president of VAL, Dr Mukesh Kumar, they have been documented using local peoples mobile phones and can be watched on YouTube. The company received notification from the Orissa Pollution Control Board as early as 2009 that the retaining walls of its red mud pond had not been built according to the approved design criteria. We are deeply concerned that RoSPA can present any award to a company which admits in its latest shareholder report for the year 2010-2011 [p22], that 2 employees and 24 contractors died across the companys operations, says Prafulla Samantra, an activist based in Orissa.
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No Acquisition for Profiteering is Welcome but National Development Planning, Resettlement and Rehabilitation Act is the Need of the Hour
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development tabled its report to the Parliament on the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011, on 17 May 2012. The report makes some positive recommendations as put forward by National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) and other movements, who deposed before the Committee under the banner of Sangharsh but it falls short of fulfilling the overall aspirations of the people protesting against the brazen land acquisitions and those struggling for adequate resettlement and rehabilitation for many years. We had demanded that the Bill be titled as National Development Planning, Resettlement and Rehabilitation Act and the whole framework of the land acquisition should change. It should be based on the peoples right to land and resources, and thereby the right to approve or disapprove a development project / plan by Gram Sabha (in rural areas) and Basti Sabha (in urban areas) and on the principle of Free Prior Informed Consent. Even though the Committee recommendations don't fully comply with this demand there is a significant recognition of the role of the Panchayati Raj Insitutions at every level. We welcome the emphasis of the Committee on the consent as opposed to proposed farcical consultations with these bodies in the proposed Bill. The suggested Model Activity Map relating to the devolution of LARR powers to the three levels of Panchayats in rural areas and municipalities in urban areas for consideration by the State Assemblies under Articles 243G and 243W, as well as suggest statutory powers for the empowerment by State legislatures of 'local institutions of selfgovernment' and, most importantly, Gram Sabhas in rural areas and equivalent bodies in urban areas is a step in the right direction.
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The questioning of the power of the eminent domain of the state by the Committee and taking strong exception to the fact that if land acquisition for profiteering is not done anywhere else in the world then why should India do it is an important recognition of our demands? In recommending deletion of the clauses for private acquisition, it has vindicated our stand that the core public functions of the state can't be handed over to the private corporations, even though the Ministry of Rural Development and many state governments argued that the distinction between private and the Government sector is blurring in the Country as we proceed on the path of development. So, putting conditions of minimum share of the Government in the projects or ownership of the projects may delay such developmental activities." It is unfortunate that in the name of the PPP, the loot of the scarce natural resources and public property is handed over to the corporations for the sole motive of profit. This has to stop. We hope the Ministry of Rural Development will take note of this important recommendation. However, we still feel that adequate safeguard to private purchase of land is necessary and state can't leave vulnerable communities to negotiate with the land sharks, middle men, and big forces of capital. Unregulated land market will facilitate large scale unemployment and a bigger attack on the agrarian economy. The recommendations within the ambit of the proposed framework intends to make the acquisitions more participatory for public purpose and provide for R&R measures however falls short of addressing the key demands arising out of the ongoing struggles against big dams in the Narmada and other river Valleys, Thermal power Plants in Andhra, Orissa and other States, Big infrastructure projects like POSCO in Orissa and antinuclear struggles in Koodankulam, Fatehabaad and Jaitapur. The demand of the people's movements to have a direct say in planning of the projects at its inception itself which originates from the challenge to the overall development paradigm has failed to find recognition in the recommendations. We feel unless the government takes note of this and gives adequate power to the people in development planning and not leave the job to experts and Planning Commission of the Country, the 23 | T H E M O V E M E N T O F I N D I A
conflicts and protests against illegal acquisitions be it for the private or public corporations will continue. As demanded by us the Committee didn't hold regional hearings and conduct site visits, but it did express dissatisfaction at the failure of the Ministry of Rural Development for not holding consultations with the affected families prior to its introduction in the Parliament. We do hope the Ministry of Rural Development will take due notice of the recommendations of the Committee, hold regional consultations with the affected parties and then bring the revised legislation soon in the parliament. We demand and urge the government to take note of the plight of the nearly six million development induced displaced people who have received no R&R till date and undo the historical injustice and violence unleashed in the name of development by taking appropriate step and setting up of the National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Commission. Until and unless they get justice and a complete assessment of the unutilised land with the various state and non-state actors is done and a white paper released on that, till then let there be moratorium on any further acquisitions. We will continue to struggle for enactment of the National Development Planning, Resettlement and Rehabilitation Act, which will stop the ongoing conflicts and large scale acquisitions in the name of the public purpose and development and facilitate the agenda of the land rights and agrarian reforms.
Reports of Comptroller and Auditor General of India vindicates NAPMs stand on discrepancies in the working of the Slum Rehabilitation Authority, Mumbai
Brief Background on SRA
Slum Rehabilitation Authority [SRA] was established in December 1995, in pursuance of Section 3A of the Maharashtra Slum Areas
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(Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act, 1971 to tackle the issue of the growing number of urban slum settlements in Mumbai. Though the SRA was to rehabilitate all the slum dwellers whose names appeared on the electoral role as on January 1st 1995, the extension of the aforementioned date, [to January 1st, 2000] is pending in the Supreme Court for certain vital public projects like the Dharavi Development Project, the Mithi Development Project etc. The SRA was to design slum rehabilitation schemes under the Slum Act and the Development Control Regulations [DCR] of Greater Mumbai for rehabilitating slum dwellers. Each family in the slum is to be given a self contained tenement of 269 sq ft free of cost. An incentive Floor Space Index [FSI] was provided to developers through which they could construct buildings for sale in the open market to recover the cost incurred for the rehabilitation scheme. The SRA is headed by the Chief Minister under the Slum Act who monitors the implementation of the schemes. Ministers for Housing and Urban Development, the Chief Secretary, the Mumbai Municipal Commissioner and Principal Secretaries of Housing, Urban Development and Law and Judiciary Departments and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SRA are the members of the authority.
first 10 years from the date of allotment and for the same reason, the beneficiaries were to be given photo identity cards. Seven years after the inception of SRA, the authority outsourced the work of issuing identity cards to a private company who pulled out mid way. The transfer of the job from one private company to the other and the subsequent lack of accountability resulted in only 9,547 slum dwellers being allotted photo identity cards as against 1.27 lakh slum dwellers to whom tenements were allotted. This has made the clause of non transference of tenement by the beneficiaries for the first 10 years redundant and provides a situation that is conducive to corruption and other malpractices.
Unauthorised Occupancy
If the certified number of tenements for slum dwellers in a project being executed by a developer falls short of the stipulated 500 tenements per hectare, the shortfall was to be originally added to the project and pavement dwellers were to be accommodated. The report states that out of 20 projects of SRS wherein additional tenements has been constructed, they were not handed over to the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai [MCGM] but that 318 tenements were found to be occupied by illegal tenements against who no eviction action was taken! For example, in the case of slum dwellers being relocated from Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivili to Chandivili in Powai, it was found shockingly, that of the 3,198 rehabilitation tenements of the first phase of the project, 531 tenements were locked, 329 sublet, 48 were being used for commercial purposes and 34 tenements were sold!
The tenement granted to the rehabilitated slum dwellers was not to be transferred for the 24 | T H E M O V E M E N T O F I N D I A www.napm-india.org
of
As per the provisions of the Development Control Regulations [DCR] for plots of over 10,000 sqm and in cases where the land use was changed from industrial to residential, open space of 25% the plot area was to be provided for recreation grounds. For plots having less than 10,000 sq m, open space of 20% of the plot area was to be provided. These provisions were made to prevent overcrowding, high density and unhygienic conditions in the tenements. In most cases unexplainable and unexplained relaxations were granted to the developers thereby violating the guidelines set for rehabilitation tenement for the SRA. The report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India specifically names Mumbai International Airport Limited [MIAL] as having incurred undue benefits after being awarded the work of slum rehabilitation on airport land for the Housing Development and Infrastructure Development [HDIL]. The report also notes that a conservative estimate of Rs 4 lakh per tenement amounting to a total of Rs 1120 crore was recoverable from MIAL, which was also not done! A minimum additional infrastructural charge of Rs 84 crore was recoverable in addition to the normal infrastructural charge which was also not done by SRA! Initially, a rehabilitation scheme to rehabilitate slum dwellers on 18 acres of MHADA land in Golibar, Santa Cruz was sanctioned in 2006 and 2007 to be executed by Shivalik Ventures, Mumbai. While the project was ongoing, Shivalik Ventures submitted a proposal for integrated redevelopment [Special Township Plan] of 125 acres for rehabilitating 26,000 families which was approved by the Chief Minister in 2008 by issuing orders under clause 3 [K] of the Slum Act. The CAG report however, reveals that the claim of Shivalik Ventures to have acquired 22 of the 52 acres land by consent was not verified by the government / SRA before issuing an order! Moreover, there was absolutely no process of transparent bidding before selecting Shivalik Ventures as the developer. It is clearly stated in the housing policy of 2007 that the selection process should be based on a free and transparent bidding process. 43 acres of land belonging to the Defence Ministry and 2 acres of land owned by the Central Excise Department was included in this project, for 25 | T H E M O V E M E N T O F I N D I A
which no objection certificates that had to be obtained from the respective bodies was also not got! The Special Township plan effectively helped the developer to take up a large township scheme with basically no opposition through a non transparent process where Shivalik Ventures had the sole monopoly. What is really shocking is that, Shivalik Ventures, which operated as a partnership firm when it proposed the STP in 2008, was later converted to a limited company in which Unitech Limited, held a substantial 50% in the company share! We demand that the government should Review the working of the SRA and take stringent action against the offenders found to be involved in corruption and other malpractices. Revive the two fact finding committees set up during the last years fast. Implement Rajiv Awas Yojna immediately and effectively to provide proper housing to the urban poor.
15,000 oustees of Maheshwar dam march in Mandleshwar against the MOEF Order of submergence which may cause death of thousands of people
Thousands of oustees affected by the Maheshwar dam marched in Mandleshwar against the destructive Maheshwar dam in the Narmada valley. The voices of the oustees were somber and angry, as they flayed the State and Central governments for giving permission allowing submergence up to 154 meters in the Maheshwar dam, and for concealing the illegal submergence of the houses and lands of affected villages caused by the illegal closure of the gates of the dam, by the private dam builders Shree Maheshwar Hydel Power Corporation Limited, on 27th of August 2011, last year. The oustees warned the State and Central Governments not to serve the vested interests of private companies and work in public interest.
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The people of the area and the Narmada Bachao Andolan called on the MOEF to immediately withdraw the order which permits the S.Kumars to close the gates of the dam and which is likely to cause the submergence and death of thousands of people. They warned that if the MOEF does not withdraw its order, the people would not leave their lands without any rehabilitation and resettlement as desired by the private company. Instead they would face the illegal submergence being brought without the rehabilitation and resettlement of the affected people by the project authorities through Jal Satyagraha. Shri Alok Agarwal, senior activist of the Narmada Bachao Andolan and leader of the movement in the area, stated that it is shocking that the Ministry of Environment and Forests has permitted the S.Kumars to close the gates of the Maheshwar dam on the ground that there is no submergence up to 154 meters, ignoring Government revenue records showing submergence of lands and houses in many villages on the 27th of August 2011, when the dam gates were illegally closed by the Shree Maheshwar Hydel Power Corporation Limited and the water level was 154 meters at dam site. He said that the decision of the MOEF on the basis of the false statement of the State Government that there was no submergence last year, may lead to the death of thousands of people. He also said if the dam is filled to 154 meters, over 1500 electric pumps and pipelines which supply the irrigation and drinking water needs of the people of the 61 villages affected by the Maheshwar dam who are yet to be rehabilitated and resettled will be submerged, thus denying them essential drinking water and water for their fields, which is a criminal action. The people are resolved that they will oppose this illegal and inhuman submergence and if this order is not withdrawn, the oustees will undertake Jal Satyagraha.
the Chief Minister to entertain POSCO India CMD Yong Won Yoon. Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS) said, this reflects the Patnaik governments total contempt for democracy and democratic dissent by masses on a crucial issue affecting their land, life and livelihood. The Chief Minster does not have time to discuss with his own people who are in distress but can afford the luxury of entertaining foreign representatives to give away rich land and resources at the cost of the peace and prosperity of people of the land. He is yet to visit the area ever since the black MOU was signed with POSCO on 22nd June 2005. Even while they are making deals the mining issue has not been resolved in the Apex Court and the National Green Tribunal has stopped the environmental clearance granted to POSCO on flimsy ground. It also needs to be noted that the Captive Port(Jatadhari) of POSCO which was accorded Environmental Clearance on dated 15th May 2007 under EIA Notification 2006 has no validity now, since the validity of the clearance is only for five years. In this context, since no work has started till date the environmental clearance of POSCO Port stands expired as on 14th May 2012 and further work can be started only after fresh clerance is granted by the MoEF. Meanwhile, PPSS got a major boost when Com Narayan Reddy, one of senior activists got bail on 18th May 2012. Earlier on March 14th Abhay Sahoo was granted bail by the High Court of Orissa in an false case of alleged dowry death in Dhinkia Panchayat. PPSS is continuing its Dharana near Govindpur village and vows to continue their peaceful demonstration till the project is scrapped.
Update from Struggle Against the Lower Subansiri Dam Project in North East India: Akhil Gogoi starts indefinite fast
On May 16th 2012, Odisha government and On May 13th after the elections in 2011 NAPM POSCO India agreed to downsize the plant size had issued a statement on the election results from 12 MTPA to 8 MTPA Greenfield steel plant. in Assam and said: We are aware that the On the same day nearly, 2000 people took a victory of the same government means difficult protest rally at Govindpur village opposing the times ahead for people's movements but we undemocratic, unjust and uncalled for move of 26 | T H E M O V E M E N T O F I N D I A www.napm-india.org June July 2012
will continue to challenge the ineptness and corruption in the governance and fight for communities control of natural resources and their means of livelihood. We do hope the new dispensation will use this opportunity to put its house in order and effectively work on the issues raised by the movements for true development of people of Assam. The current government completed a year on May 18th amidst much fanfare but unfortunate it is our words seems to be coming true. Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, an affiliate of NAPM, has been at the receiving end of the police atrocities from time to time. KMSS, a mass organisation with support base in urban and rural areas both led by Akhil Gogoi has been at the forefront of the struggle for people's democratic rights and a peoplecentred development model. They have exposed corruption at every level of governance and emphasised for the better utilisation of the public resources, for which they have constantly faced government's ire. Attack on the KMSS cadres is nothing new it seems on March 29th 2010, when they had gone to submit a memorandum on the issues of mega dams, PDS anomalies and NREGA implementation at Dhemaji District Commissioner's office they were tear-gassed, lathi charged and arrested; in June 2011, Akhil Gogoi was arrested by the government; in December 2011 they were attacked many times when KMSS and others led seize to the highway and stopped trucks to the Lower Subansiri Dams; earlier they have been labelled as Maoists and Chinese supported and so on. Inspite of all the opposition from the state machinery and oppression from security forces KMSS has carried the struggle against corporate driven, anti-people development and corrupt practices of the Assam government. It is extremely unfortunate that our letters of appeal and condemnation in past to the Assam Government against the attack on non-violent people's movements seems to have no impact. On May 11, the government unleashed attack on KMSS activists who were demonstrating peacefully at Ghagar in Lakhimpur district by blockading transportation of goods to Lower Subansiri Hydro-Electric Project site. The blockade was forcefully removed and all efforts are being made to carry goods to project site by the state government. As of now there is 27 | T H E M O V E M E N T O F I N D I A
complete regime of 'terror' in the district of Lakhimpur. 30 KMSS activists had been arrested and sent to jail for either supporting the movement and being part of the movement. They include women, children and others. Police personnel have been posted in every road, street, locality in the most unprecedented manner. The government has also deployed around 300 special police officers to prevent activists from staging any protest. We fail to understand that when the blockade has been going on since mid December and many rounds of dialogue has happened between the people's movements and the government then why is government shying away from implementing the recommendations of the Expert Committee which advised against construction of Mega Dams? Why the Group of Ministers report, which was constituted to discuss these matters, has not been made public? Why is Assam Government in collusion with the Central Government hell bent on building these dams at such great human cost ? Today we are witness to one of the biggest peaceful, non-violent anti dam sustained agitation in Assam led by peasants, tribals and othres but even then the government is not listening. The danger to the border state of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam is not from outside forces but from proposed construction of 168 dams for 68000 MW on various rivers of Arunachal Pradesh. The NHPC constructed Lower Subansiri Hydel Project for 2000 MW situated in a highly earthquake prone location is one of this upcoming project. Citizens of this nation have a right to know that why our lives are being mortgaged in the name of development and for profiteering of some private and public corporations who are there only for profit. We vehemently oppose this and support the peaceful struggle of the people and those of the KMSS and other organisations in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Akhil Gogoi is on his third day of the indefinite hunger strike against the atrocities of the government against the peacefully protesting people, many of whom are injured and are languishing in hospital. NAPM supports KMSS's and Akhil's brave struggle for life with dignity and against unjust destructive capitalist development thrust upon people against their will. We support the demand made by the people's movements and urge the government
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of India and Assam to immediately intervene and listen to people's voices. We support the demand of KMSS that: The government release all the detained activists unconditionally All police atrocities be stopped immediately. The protesters should be allowed to set up our makeshift camps which will monitor any goods going to LSHP The construction of the lower Subansiri project be stopped till there is a reasonable agreement agreed by the downstream people.
this movement Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was murdered by Nathuram Godse on 30th January 1948. This film elaborates that the murder of Father of the Nation was a clash between two types of political ideologies. On one side was the National movement, struggling for Independence of the country from the clutches of British colonialist. It was based on the all inclusive plural values and upheld the diversity of the country. People of all religions participated in this movement. On other side were the communal streams, Muslim League, and Hindu Mahasabha-RSS, which based their nationalism on Islam (Islamic Nation) or Hinduism (Hindu Rashtra) respectively.
January 30,1948 Film screening and discussion with Dr Ram Puniyani in Lucknow, May 8-10, Lucknow
During 8-10 May 2012, UP chapter of NAPM and Asha Parivar had organized the screening of the film January 30, 1948 and interaction with Dr Ram Puniyani in two locations: UP Press Club, Lucknow; and Lohia Mazdoor Bhawan, Socialist Party office, Lucknow. This is a film by Ekta Collective. Indian national movement succeeded in throwing away the yoke of colonialism on 15th August 1947. The leader of 28 | T H E M O V E M E N T O F I N D I A
4th National Conference of National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers, May 26-28, Dehradun, Uttarakhand
4th National conference of National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers was held on 26-28 May 2012 in Dehradun Uttarakhand. Delegates from constituent groups/ organizations and fraternal organizations from 20 states, representing more than 50 forest regions participated in the conference. Delegates from Pakistan, Nepal and France also participated in the conference. On 26th May, a one day public hearing was organized on the issue of "National Parks and Forest Rights Act.
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Film review
is no answer to it.We hang our heads in shame that still upper castes think on caste lines or speak about caste superiority, the case of Chitpawan Brahimin sub caste has been effectively told in the film. The genetic theory that Parshuram was their originator and genetically, how they are superior and how lower castes are inferior and should remain as slaves. The film has successfully interacted with younger generation of todays Dalits and their dilemma and questions they have in mind. They do not know which side they should take. Probably they wish to change the caste and become upper caste, which is not possible. They have to carry the stigma of caste. When we are told that a Dalit engineer lands a job of fitter or turner in the factory, is self explanatory of the caste
prejudices prevailing todayand the rise of Marathas to crush the aspiration of Dalits.Issues around reservation and reservation which the Maratha community is asking while condemning the reservation makes us angry. The film could have been trimmed down by an hour as the film is too long at 198 mins. It is shot brilliantly and covers almost 30 years of political journey of Dalit movement in Maharashtra, particularly Mumbai/Bombay. Anand Patwardhan and his team have done a great job. We must watch this film. Lastly this film has got U censor certificate, so this is possibly the first time the state has decided to keep quiet over the film though it is provocative and bold.
Ramesh Pimple
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Maharashtra NAPM State Convention
23 June 2012 | Pune, Maharashtra | Contact: Suniti SR 020-24251404
Raise the minimum wages in unorganized sector to Rs. 11,000 per month or Rs. 440 per day. The minimum wages should be linked to Consumer Price Index. The farmers must get a profitable income on their produce. The prices of petrol, diesel, fertilizer and pesticides must be kept under control. Subsidies of these things as well as on electricity and water must continue. There should be a guarantee of purchase for agricultural produce and they should not be left to the mercy of market forces.
The additional production of foodgrains should not be exported. Instead it
should be distributed within the country after universalisation of Public Distribution System. There should be adequate and decentralized arrangement for storage of agricultural produce.
OBITUARY
Shri Kantilal Shah - editor Bhumiputra, the Bhoodan/Sarvodaya movement journal in Gujarati language and one of the few down to earth thinkers, is no more.
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