NAPM welcomes SC Judgement on Migrant Workers: Struggle for holding State and Judiciary accountable to working class must continue
napm india
National Office: 6/6, Jungpura-B, New Delhi – 110014 | Ph: 011-24374535
Twitter: @napmindia | E-mail: napm...@gmail.com |
Blog: www.napmindia.wordpress.com | Web: www.napm-india.org
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NAPM welcomes the
Supreme Court judgment on rations for all migrant workers and
time-bound registration of unorganized sector workers
SC has fallen short of delivering on its own observation of a “socialistic pattern of society”:
Struggle for holding Govt and Judiciary accountable to working class must continue.
2nd July, 2021: The sudden and unplanned lockdown imposed by the union government in March 2020 in the wake of pandemic had caused immense hardship to the informal sector workers. After much criticism and concern on its inaction, Supreme Court on 26.05.2020 took suo moto cognizance of “problems and miseries of the migrant labourers”. Later, several persons associated with people’s organisations and movements filed intervention applications in this writ. On 29th June, 2021 Supreme Court delivered its judgement after the matter was taken up again during the second wave of the pandemic.
Key directions from the judgment are summarised below:
Dry rations: The SC, while emphasizing right to food as a key facet of the fundamental right to life enshrined in Article 21 of the constitution, has directed the state governments to bring in place an appropriate scheme for distribution of dry ration by 31.07.21. Such a scheme as per court’s order may continue till the current pandemic continues. Court has further given directions to the union government to allocate additional food grains for these state schemes. The SC has said that all 2.8 crore migrant workers identified under the Atma Nirbhar Scheme last year by states must also be supplied rations.
Cooked food through community kitchens: The SC has directed state governments to run community kitchens at prominent places where large number of migrant labourers are there, and these kitchens should continue to supply food at-least till the pandemic continues.
Portability of ration entitlements- SC has directed the states to implement the “One nation one ration card” scheme by 31.07.21. This scheme provides portability of ration card throughout the country.
Revision of state-wise coverage under NFSA- The SC has noted that more than 10 years have elapsed since the state-wise coverage for issuance of ration cards under NFSA was determined and updating the numbers to the latest population count is bound to increase the number of eligible persons. It has directed the centre “to take steps to undertake exercise under Section 9 of the National Food Security Act, 2013 to re-determine the total number of persons to be covered under Rural and Urban areas of the State, which shall be beneficial to a large number of persons.”
Time-bound registration of migrant and unorganised sector workers- Criticising the tardy pace of registration of migrant and unorganised sector workers which adversely impacts their ability to access benefits under various schemes, the judgment notes, “the apathy and lackadaisical attitude by the Ministry of Labour and Employment is unpardonable”. Further, calling out the central and state governments for paying mere lip service to well-being of workers, the judgment states, “tall claims by all the States and Union that they have implemented various welfare schemes for the migrant workers and unorganized workers remain only on paper without giving any benefit to unorganized workers.” The SC has directed, “the Central Government to develop the Portal … for registration of the unorganized labourers/migrant workers. We also impress upon and direct that the Central Government as well as the respective States and the Union Territories to complete the process of Portal for registration under National Data Base for Unorganised Workers (NDUW Project)…the process of registration of the unorganized labourers/migrant workers is completed at the earliest, but not later than 31.12.2021.” Further, it has directed, “all the States/Union Territories to register all establishments and license all contractors under the Act, 1979 and ensure that statutory duty imposed on the contractors to give particulars of migrant workers is fully complied with.”
National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) welcomes the progressive aspects of the judgement and sincerely hopes that the Centre and state governments would implement these in right earnest, to ameliorate the conditions of the working class. The directions on ensuring dry grains and cooked for migrant workers till the end of the pandemic are significant. Registration of workers, a welcome measure, needs to be supplemented by new schemes that provide for them.
It remains to be seen, especially after the failure of the state to implement the Unorganized Sector Workers Social Security Act, 2008, how effective will be the implementation of SC direction to identify and register informal sector workers. Inter-state Migrant Workman Act, if implemented properly, can have a long-term impact on reducing the exploitation of migrant workers. Correcting the undercount problem in issuance of ration cards is a crucial issue. While the directions are important and can potentially lead to nearly 13 crore additional people (over and above the current 80 crore) being provided ration cards, the SC has not given any timeline for this.
However, in the face of the severe distress of workers in the pandemic, as recorded by the SC itself, we are of the opinion that the Apex Court has fallen short of delivering on its own observation of a “socialistic pattern of society”. We are dismayed to note that the plea for emergency cash transfers to pay for basic necessities including rent, education of children, gas, oil, milk has not been accepted. Terming it a “matter of policy and being in domain of the State”, the SC has declined to give any directions in the absence of a specific scheme by the states/union.
When millions have lost livelihoods and are struggling to pay for basic essentials, cash transfers are crucial to help people tide through this difficult period. The severe health crisis in the second wave forced many to take loans in order to pay for essential medicines and oxygen which were being sold at astronomical rates due to black markets. The world over, countries have done cash transfer schemes, which not only provide a life line to people in economic distress but also keep the local economy going.
The SC in its 80 page judgement has cited constitution bench judgement (National Textile Workers’ Union and Others Vs. P.R. Ramakrishnan and Others, (1983) 1 SCC 228 ) emphasizing the importance of workers in “socialistic pattern of society”. During this time of unprecedented distress, the central and state governments have failed to provide adequate economic package for people to meet their basic need of food, clothing and shelter when a large number of informal sector workers have lost work. All evidence points to a deep crisis of increasing poverty (23 crore additional people have slipped below the poverty line in the last one year as per a Azim Premiji University report) and growing inequality (income of Indian billionaires grew by 35% during the lockdown while 84% of the households suffered varying degrees of income loss according to an Oxfam report).
We call upon the central government and state governments to universalise food security and provide cash transfers to the millions who have lost livelihoods and are struggling to survive.
Medha Patkar, Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) and National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM); Dr. Sunilam, Adv. Aradhna Bhargava, Kisan Sangharsh Samiti; Rajkumar Sinha, Chutka Parmaanu Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti, NAPM, Madhya Pradesh;
Aruna Roy, Nikhil Dey, Shankar Singh, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS), National Campaign for People’s Right to Information; Kavita Srivastava, People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL); Kailash Meena NAPM Rajasthan;
Prafulla Samantara, Lok Shakti Abhiyan; Lingraj Azad, Samajwadi Jan Parishad & Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti, Manorama, Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti; Lingaraj Pradhan, Satya Banchor, Anant, Kalyan Anand, Arun Jena, Trilochan Punji, Lakshimipriya Mohanty and Balakrishna Sand, Manas Patnaik, NAPM Odisha;
Sandeep Pandey (Socialist Party of India); Richa Singh & Rambeti (Sangatin Kisaan Mazdoor Sangathan, Sitapur); Rajeev Yadav & Masihuddin bhai (Rihai Manch, Lucknow & Azamgadh); Arundhati Dhuru & Zainab Khatun (Mahila Yuva Adhikar Manch, Lucknow), Suresh Rathaur (MNREGA Mazdoor Union, Varanasi); Arvind Murti & Altamas Ansari (Inquilabi Kamgaar Union, Mau), Jagriti Rahi (Vision Sansthan, Varanasi); Satish Singh (Sarvodayi Vikas Samiti, Varanasi); Nakul Singh Sawney (Chal Chitra Abhiyan, Muzaffarnagar); NAPM Uttar Pradesh
P. Chennaiah, Andhra Pradesh Vyavasaya Vruthidarula Union-APVVU, Ramakrishnam Raju, United Forum for RTI and NAPM, Chakri (Samalochana), Balu Gadi, Bapji Juvvala, NAPM Andhra Pradesh;
Jeevan Kumar & Syed Bilal (Human Rights Forum), P. Shankar (Dalit Bahujan Front), Vissa Kiran Kumar & Kondal (Rythu Swarajya Vedika), Ravi Kanneganti (Rythu JAC), Ashalatha (MAKAAM), Krishna (Telangana Vidyavantula Vedika-TVV), M. Venkatayya (Telangana Vyavasaya Vruttidarula Union-TVVU), Meera Sanghamitra, NAPM Telangana;
Sister Celia, Domestic Workers Union; Maj Gen (Retd) S.G.Vombatkere, NAPM, Nalini Gowda, KRRS, Nawaz, Dwiji Guru, Nalini, Madhu Bhushan and Mamatha Yajaman, Susheela, Shashank, NAPM Karnataka
Gabriele Dietrich, Penn Urimay Iyakkam, Madurai; Geetha Ramakrishnan, Unorganised Sector Workers Federation; Suthanthiran, Lenin, Inamul Hasan, Arul Doss, Vikash NAPM Tamilnadu;
Vilayodi Venugopal, CR Neelakandan, Prof. Kusumam Joseph, Sharath Cheloor, Vijayaraghavan Cheliya, Majeendran, Magline, NAPM, Kerala;
Dayamani Barla, Aadivasi-Moolnivasi Astivtva Raksha Samiti; Basant Hetamsaria, Aloka Kujur, Dr. Leo A. Singh, Afzal Anish, Sushma Biruli, Durga Nayak, Jipal Murmu, Priti Ranjan Dash, Ashok Verma, NAPM Jharkhand;
Anand Mazgaonkar, Swati Desai, Krishnakant, Parth, Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti; Nita Mahadev, Mudita, Lok Samiti; Dev Desai, Mujahid Nafees, Ramesh Tadvi and Bharat Jambucha, NAPM Gujarat;
Vimal Bhai, Matu Jan sangathan; Jabar Singh, Uma, NAPM, Uttarakhand;
Manshi Asher and Himshi Singh, Himdhara, NAPM Himachal Pradesh
Eric Pinto, Abhijeet, Tania Devaiah, Caroline, Diana Tavers, Emil, Francesca, NAPM Goa
Gautam Bandopadhyay, Nadi Ghati Morcha; Kaladas Dahariya, RELAA, Alok Shukla, Shalini Gera, NAPM Chhattisgarh;
Samar Bagchi, Amitava Mitra, Binayak Sen, Sujato Bhadro, Pradip Chatterjee, Pasarul Alam, Amitava Mitra, Tapas Das, Tahomina Mandal, Pabitra Mandal, Kazi Md. Sherif, Biswajit Basak, Ayesha Khatun, Rupak Mukherjee, Milan Das, Asit Roy, Mita Bhatta, Yasin, Matiur Rahman, Baiwajit Basa, NAPM West Bengal;
Suniti SR, Sanjay M G, Suhas Kolhekar, Prasad Bagwe, Mukta Srivastava, Yuvraj Gatkal, Geetanjali Chavan, Bilal Khan, Jameela, Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan; Chetan Salve, Narmada Bachao Andolan, Pervin Jehangir, NAPM Maharashtra;
J S Walia, NAPM Haryana; Guruwant Singh, Narbinder Singh, NAPM Punjab;
Kamayani Swami, Ashish Ranjan, Jan Jagran Shakti Sangathan; Mahendra Yadav, Kosi Navnirman Manch; NAPM Bihar
Rajendra Ravi, NAPM; Bhupender Singh Rawat, Jan Sangharsh Vahini; Anjali Bharadwaj and Amrita Johri, Satark Nagrik Sangathan; Sanjeev Kumar, Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch; Anita Kapoor, Delhi Shahri Mahila Kaamgaar Union; Sunita Rani, National Domestic Workers Union; Nanhu Prasad, National Cyclist Union; Madhuresh Kumar, Priya Pillai, Aryaman Jain, Divyansh Khurana, Evita Das; Anil TV, Delhi Solidarity Group, MJ Vijayan (PIPFPD)
For any further details, contact: napm...@gmail.com
napm india
National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM)
Social Media: @napmindia | E-mail: napm...@gmail.com |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Urgent Letter from National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) to
CM, MP to end targeting of JADS activists and tree-felling in Madhya Pradesh
4th May, 2023
To,
The Chief Minister
Government of Madhya Pradesh,
Bhopal.
Sub: Mass violations of adivasi and forest rights, unjust harassment of JADS activists – Seeking withdrawal of all false cases and charges, end to state repression and tree felling in Burhanpur, MP – Reg
Sir,
We are writing urgently, with regard to the completely unjust targeting and harassment of adivasis and activists associated with the Jagrit Adivasi Dalit Sangathan (JADS), for demanding action against rampant tree-felling and timber-smuggling in the Burhanpur and Khandwa forests of Madhya Pradesh. It is well-known that JADS has been working relentlessly for the past 25 years in the western adivasi region of MP, securing the rights and dignity of adivasis on a range of issues including employment guarantee and livelihoods, food security, forest rights, health care, pensions, education, labour and human rights etc.
For almost seven months now, JADS has been exposing the massive, state-enabled deforestation over 15,000 acres in the Burhanpur Forest range, and has also gathered information about the involvement of certain village-level gangs, officials of the civil administration and forest department in the same. However, despite repeated complaints at all levels (including to the State Home Minister and CMO) and mass protests, there has been little concrete action to end the tree-felling. It was only after some of the gang members reportedly attacked a police station on 6th April and took away an arrested person, did the police wake up and arrest some of the gang leaders, as on 25th April. This too, after clamping down on about a thousand homes of adivasis in Vakadi and Siwal villages and causing immense hardships to them. It is also being feared that the police may extract false confessions from these persons in custody against JADS members.
We wish to highlight here that instead of taking timely action against the tree-felling mafia and responding to the peaceful protests of thousands of adivasis, who are struggling to secure forest cover, the administration has been weaponizing the law against them, resorting to crackdown on and intimidation of the sangathan, on a mass scale. That this is happening in a region from which the State Forest Minister hails, seems to be no coincidence.
As per the latest information available, the SP of Burhanpur has indicated to the press that at least 50 JADS activists including - Nitin Varghese, Bhimsing, Dilip, Sursing, Ramdas, Remla, Pyarsing, Ganpa, Ramesh, Tersing, Kunwarsing, Reva, Sukhlal, Kartap, Bhangi, Sonar, Malu, Gorelal and others would be arrested. Notably, around 24 cases [including of ‘tree-felling, ‘extortion’, offences under (SC & ST PoA) Act, 1989] have also been filed against Madhuri, social activist who has been associated with JADS since its inception and has invested her entire adult life in securing rights of adivasis and marginalized communities.
On 30th April, an adivasi leader, Antaram Awase (President of the Gram Sabha of Siwal village and elected Secretary of Forest Rights Committee) was arrested and reportedly made to sign some blank papers in police custody. We have learnt that some of the unfair charges against him are in the context of a) forced eviction of FRA claimants in 2019, which led to protests including by Antaram, firing on adivasis and transfer of the then DFO, SDoP and Ranger and b) case where forest mafia attacked forest officials, but ironically, Antaram who informed the Forest Dept of tree-felling has been implicated. The Sangathan claims that many other adivasis (Vill Siwal, Nepanagar), were also made to sign on blank papers before they were let off from police detention on the late night of 1st May.
It is amply clear that the State government is now in an offensive, ‘damage-control’ mode and this vindictive crack-down on a decades-old, democratic sangathan is only to conceal its own connivance in Burhanpur’s deforestation. The allegations of ‘extortion’ in the process of filing forest rights claims under FRA are also completely unfounded, given how JADS has always remained a unfunded, adivasi-led people’s movement in the region.
National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) unequivocally condemns this unjust harassment and malicious criminalization of a public-spirited organization and a grassroots adivasi movement, truly safeguarding ecology and adivasi rights in Madhya Pradesh. We are deeply concerned about the safety and rights of adivasis and activists who have been fearlessly questioning the State and have been in dialogue with, assisting the state officials to implement the law and Constitution.
WE DEMAND:
a. An immediate end to the spree of repression on JADS and withdrawal of all fabricated cases filed against its members – adivasi leaders and social activists.
b. Immediate release of FRC member, adivasi leader of JADS, Antaram Awase.
c. A high-level, independent inquiry into all the allegations of tree-felling, timber smuggling and action against the responsible persons and agencies, including the forest mafia and officials involved, as well as the role of the State Forest Minister.
d. Immediate suspension of the District Collector, SP and DFO, Burhanpur pending inquiry into the said allegations of high-handedness, inaction and complicity.
e. Instructions to the district police to abstain from extracting false confessions from persons in custody, against JADS members.
f. Full compliance of the provisions and procedures under FRA, 2006 and PESA, 1996 in the Schedule-V areas of MP.
Looking forward to your urgent intervention, in the interest of justice
Arundhati Dhuru, Ashish Ranjan, Chakradhar, Dorothy Fernandes, Gabriele Dietrich, Meera Sanghamitra, Suhas Kolhekar and many others from across the country.
On behalf of National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM)
Copy to:
1. Chief Secretary, Government of Madhya Pradesh.
2. District Collector, Burhanpur
3. Inspector General of Police, Indore Rural
4. Deputy Inspector General of Police, Nimad Range
5. Superintendent of Police, Burhanpur
6. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, PCCF (Head of Forest Force)
napm india
National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM)
Social Media: @napmindia | E-mail: napm...@gmail.com |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Solidarity with Women Wrestling Against Abusive Power
Arrest Brij Bhushan Singh | Democratize Sports Federations
7th May, 2023: National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) expresses full solidarity with the women wrestlers of our country who have been agitating for action against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and BJP MP from Kaiserganj (UP), on grounds of repeated instances of sexual harassment and abuse of power. We condemn the callousness and high-handedness of the Union Government that has not only failed to act on the serious charges (FIRs) against Brij Bhushan Singh (two under the POCSO Act), but has been actively protecting him, despite the matter having been raised repeatedly, over the last two years by the women wrestling champions, meriting intervention even by the Supreme Court.
The entire country and the world-at-large has been witnessing this sordid saga of the internationally renowned wrestlers having to fight for justice, protesting again at Jantar Mantar since 23rd April 2023, while those in high positions of power are doing everything possible to not only deny them justice and the right to protest, but also discredit them and previous democratic movements, such as the farmers protests. Going by current information, the ‘Committee’ constituted by the Sports Ministry and IOA seems more like an eye-wash. We are, therefore, fully supportive of the demand that Mr. Singh be expelled as WFI President and an independent inquiry be conducted into the matter, given the apathy, inaction and non-accountability on part of the WFI and Govt. of India.
We also strongly denounce the manner in which the Delhi Police has manhandled the protestors, be it at Jantar Mantar or in other parts of Delhi, attempting to forcibly disband the rightful and peaceful gathering, inflicting abuse and violence on sportspersons and students, and denying the democratic right to protest, in face of systemic apathy. It is amply clear that people like Mr. Singh are indicative of the criminalization and corruption within the institutions of this Govt., who seem to receive patronage at the highest levels, including from the Prime Minister and Home Minister.
Sexual violence and harassment at work places is a serious offence and given its all-pervasive prevalence in all workspaces, the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Act, 2013 was enacted by the Indian Parliament, after protracted struggles by the feminist movements in India. It is a colossal shame that even a decade after passing of the law, over half of the sports federations in India still have not set up Internal Complaints Committees, mandatory for all governmental and private organizations in the country. This is but one indicator of the utterly patriarchal nature of public, institutional and workspaces in our society.
Akin to its miserable role in previous instances like Kathua, Gujarat, Hathras, this episode has, yet again, exposed the hollowness and complicity of the Government that raises empty slogans of ‘empowering’ women and girls, even as it protects the powerful perpetrators and its own vested interests. That even those who brought laurels to the country are not spared the wrath of the regime, speaks volumes. In such a scenario, it is indeed heartening to witness the swelling strength and solidarity to the Wrestlers struggle in Delhi and across rural and urban India, much needed in the current times, to take on the arrogance of the fascists-in-power, even as many ‘celebrities’ choose to remain mum or take the side of the oppressors.
WE DEMAND:
· Govt of India must immediately arrest Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, based on FIRs filed.
· An independent inquiry must be instituted into all the charges of sexual harassment, corruption and abuse of authority by Mr. Singh and WFI.
· The right to protest of the wrestlers and those in solidarity with them must be fully upheld and legal action must be taken against the police officials for their violent excesses.
· Democratization of all Sports Federations and bodies, replacing corrupt, abusive persons in positions of power, with those who are competent and committed to the well-being of sportspersons and sport.
· Implementation of Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Act, 2013 in full letter and spirit, across all workplaces.
Issued by National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) E-mail: napm...@gmail.com
napm india
National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM)
Social Media: @napmindia | E-mail: napm...@gmail.com |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stop the Unjust Demolitions and Evictions in Delhi
Solidarity With Homeless Residents of Tughlakabad & All Bastis
G-20 Summit can’t be a pretext for Brutal Bulldozer-Raj!
15th May, 2023: National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) expresses full solidarity with the thousands of traumatized residents of Tughlakabad and some other bastis in New Delhi, whose homes have been demolished and whose lives have been ravaged both prior to as well as in the lead-up to the G-20 Summit. The disregard for their minimum well-being and gross violation of their rights is deeply troubling and demands immediate attention and redress. We condemn actions by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) that launched a massive demolition drive recently, razing down nearly 1,000 houses. Additionally, hundreds of homes have been demolished in other bastis too. At some places hawkers have also faced brutal evictions, in violation of law.
The forced evictions and demolitions carried out by the authorities have not only left close to 1,600 families comprising 2.6 lakh residents homeless, but have also resulted in the loss of their belongings and livelihoods. The lack of proper resettlement prior to any move to ‘evict’ and absence of adequate support exacerbates the vulnerability of these already marginalized communities. The role of the Union Government and even the Delhi Govt. in displacing citizens out of their homes repeatedly is abominable.
The blatant violation of laws and regulations during the demolition drive is equally alarming. These actions disregard legal safeguards and due process, including provisions under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, New Delhi Municipal Council Act, 1994, and the principles outlined in the United Nations Basic Principles and Guidelines on Development-Based Evictions. We strongly condemn such disregard for the rule of law and call for state accountability towards all working-class communities, urging the authorities to immediately cease the demolitions, investigate these violations, and provide legal remedies and redress for the homeless residents of Tughlakabad and other localities.
Every individual has the inherent right to a safe and secure home under Article 21 of the Indian constitution. It is disturbing to see the preparations for the G-20 Summit take precedence over the people’s fundamental right to shelter. The forced evictions, demolitions, and mass displacements experienced by these communities who are also marginalised on the accounts of religion, caste, gender primarily in underprivileged areas like Kashmiri Gate, Yamuna Floodplains, Dhaula Kuan, Meharauli, Moolchand Basti and recently in Tughlakabad, are not only a violation of their fundamental rights but also a harsh reminder of the systemic failures on the part of the state to ensure fundamental rights of the most vulnerable sections.
· We urge the Government to halt all the demolitions and forced evictions immediately.
· We demand that the Government must fully and fairly compensate all affected individuals and families for the losses incurred, including damage to property and loss of livelihoods.
· We also urge the Government to conduct a thorough and fair investigation into the events surrounding the brutal demolition of houses as a lead-up to the G20 Summit, including the high-handed actions of law enforcement agencies and hold them accountable by taking appropriate legal action.
· We also urge the Union Government and the Delhi Government to stop its repressive approach and engage in meaningful dialogue with the affected communities because it is the State’s responsibility to protect its citizens and ensure their rights, especially while hosting mega events like G-20, which have such drastic and life-altering consequences on the working poor. Otherwise, big slogans like ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas’ remain a hollow rhetoric.
napm india
National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM)
Social Media: @napmindia | E-mail: napm...@gmail.com |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
19th June, 2023
To,
Shri K. Chandrashekar Rao,
Chief Minister, Telangana
Hyderabad.
Sub: Seeking closure of FIR No. 152/2022 and upholding the rights of democratic activists and movements in Telangana.
Sir,
We the undersigned, representing various people’s organizations and state chapters associated with the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), an all-india forum of social movements, are writing to you in the light of certain disturbing developments in Telangana, concerning arbitrary FIRs on social activists. At the outset, we appreciate your prompt intervention (as conveyed by media reports), directing the DGP, Telangana to drop UAPA charges in the FIR 152/2022, which came into public domain recently and implicates 152 activists under various provisions of UAPA, Arms Act and IPC.
However, the Press Release dt. 17/6/2023 of the Superintendent of Police, Mulugu Dist. mentions that a memo would be filed in the concerned court, requesting for deletion of names of (only) 6 persons (including some well-known academics, activists, lawyers) from the FIR. This means that the FIR continues to remain in force with regard to all others, some of who are educationists, activists, trade unionists, leaders of women’s organizations & student groups, cultural workers etc. and have made an important contribution in the social sphere of Telangana, since decades, working with the ordinary people and marginalized sections. Some of them, we have learnt with concern, are also quite elderly.
To begin with, it is worrying that information about this FIR filed in Aug, 2022 by Tadvai Police (Mulugu Dist), making serious allegations against 152 persons (many of them well-known in public life) was revealed just a few days back, during the course of another hearing in Ranga Reddy Dist. Reportedly, the accused in the impugned FIR had no knowledge since 11 months, that they have been implicated! As per latest information available, a few persons (students) have been arrested yesterday by the police.
A bare perusal of the FIR also points to some glaring inconsistencies and indicates that some names have been added without even preliminary verification! For instance, the FIR filed in Aug, 2022 names some people who have been on bail (such as Adv Sudha Bharadwaj), who are still in jail (Arun Ferreira and Adv. Surendra Gadling) and even deceased persons (Jst Hospet Suresh, who died in June’ 2020 and Mr. K. Narasaiah).
It is a matter of grave concern to note that not only the Centre, but even the Telangana Government has been invoking UAPA in a casual and callous way, over the past decade, bringing into its fold numerous persons who have been part of democratic movements. This saga of ‘criminalization’ has given a handle both to the state police and the NIA, to persecute vocal activists, thus creating a chilling effect on those who seek State accountability. Many of those arrested have been languishing in jail since years, with bails being really hard to obtain in these matters.
Telangana is one of the states which has a rich history of people’s democratic movements, the statehood movement being one of the most prominent amongst these. Even as your Government ‘celebrated a decade of the state formation’, the popular aspirations that led to this new state being born remain largely unaddressed and unfulfilled. Various sections including small and marginal farmers, workers, adivasis, dalits, women, unemployed youth and other oppressed groups who feel let down, have been organizing and asserting their rights constantly. The state is now also facing an additional challenge of rising right-wing communal politics, which needs to be dealt with firmly.
We wish to submit that democratic movements are the real people’s opposition, which the State needs to respect and be in constant dialogue with. Instead, quelling movements and persecuting activists will only create more public unrest. Mere political thought cannot be a ground for arbitrary FIRs and criminal prosecution, unless an express unlawful activity has been committed. Activists who believe in different ideologies and work for securing the legal and constitutional rights of people in public, should not be targeted unfairly by the State.
In the light of the above, we seek your immediate intervention to:
· Direct summary closure of FIR No. 152/2022 naming 152 people and ensure early filing of closure report in the concerned court of law. Release all persons arrested under this FIR.
· Consider closure of all previous cases in which there has been unjust application of UAPA against democratic rights activists in the state of Telangana.
· Ensure that draconian laws like UAPA are not unjustly invoked by the state police to persecute human rights defenders and social movement activists.
· Stop repression on activists and social movements in the state of Telangana.
· Judiciously uphold the federal rights of the state, so that the Central Government and its agencies cannot make high-handed interventions and abuse the due process of law.
· Take a position against the unconstitutionality of the UAPA law itself and call for its repeal by the Parliament.
Looking forward to prompt, just, pro-people action from your end,
Thanking You,
Signed by/-
Anand Mazgaonkar, Arundhati Dhuru, Ashish Ranjan, Gabriele Dietrich, Maj Genl (Retd) Vombatkere, Meera Sanghamitra, Pradip Chatterjee, Sanjay MG, Sanjeev Danda, Soumya Dutta, Suhas Kolhekar
On behalf of National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM)
Copy to:
1. Chief Secretary, Government of Telangana
2. Director General of Police, Telangana
napm india
National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM)
Social Media: @napmindia | E-mail: napm...@gmail.com |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UP Govt’s ‘Bulldozer Raj’ on Gandhian Institutions Condemnable
NAPM calls for resistance against ‘Gujarat to Varanasi Model of Demolition’!
30th June, 2023: NAPM condemns the brazen and disgraceful attempts by the Bhartiya Janata Party Government to arbitrarily occupy and destroy two of the most reputed Gandhian institutions of the country, Gandhi Vidya Sansthan and Sarva Seva Sangh, situated in Varanasi, the constituency of none other, but the Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi. The anathema for Gandhi is well-known among the RSS cadres, but if BJP - RSS think that by demolishing concrete buildings of Gandhian institutions, it can erase the legacy of Gandhi in this country and the world, then it is obviously mistaken.
Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) has been trying for decades to infiltrate the Gandhian Institute of Studies, established by Jayaprakash Narayan on the land given to it by Sarva Sewa Sangh, which was set-up by Vinoba Bhave in Varanasi. The land for Sarva Sewa Sangh was itself sold to it by the Indian Railways in the 1960s. Now the Varanasi administration and Indian Railways have hatched a conspiracy to take over this land in a questionable way, by demolishing the two campuses which are situated on the banks of river Ganga, a lucrative spot for any potential commercial venture. The ‘Gujarat model of development’ is on full display in the PM’s constituency, as part of which new opportunities of commercial exploitation of Ganga are being explored.
At a time when the BJP/RSS's divisive politics is hell-bent on tearing apart the social fabric of our country, as can be seen in Manipur presently, the relevance of Gandhi's humanitarian and pluralistic ideology is even more significant. Having persecuted muslims and dalits in countless ways, this Govt. is now not even sparing Gandhi! We wish to state that the BJP is crossing all limits and people are not going to tolerate the bulldozer politics of the autocratic BJP for very long, which can only result in violence and social strife. In the end, it is not the hate of BJP-RSS, but the inclusive ideologies of our freedom fighters like Gandhi that will survive, if the society chooses a path of harmony and peace.
National Alliance of People's Movements supports the ongoing struggle to save Sarva Seva Sangh and Gandhian Institute of Studies campuses, as its ideological commitment to values of peace, communal harmony and democracy.
We call upon, not just Gandhians, but all democracy-loving people across the country to expose the Government’s hypocrisy on ‘patriotism’ and resist this authoritarian move, which is a gross insult to one of the foremost leaders of our independence movement.
We appeal to the Hon’ble High Court to intervene immediately, based on petitions filed and stay this unjust demolition and occupation of some of the finest, decades-old Gandhian institutions in the country, which are part of our shared heritage.
National Alliance of People's Movements
napm india
हिन्दी के लिए कृपया नीचे देखें
PRESS RELEASE
3,200+ activists and citizens from across India Appeal to President to visit Manipur and safeguard rights of violated Kuki-Zo women
Request her to ensure accountability of all authorities and restoration of peace and justice in the strife-torn state
23rd July, 2023: National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), along with over 3,200 + activists, academics, artists, retired bureaucrats and concerned citizens, many representing hundreds of movements and organizations from across the country issued a fervent and urgent Appeal to Madam Draupadi Murmu, Hon’ble President of India, seeking her immediate intervention, in the very grave circumstances of Manipur, requesting her to visit the state and assure justice to all the violated people, in particular the Kuki Zo women who have faced immense sexual, physical and mental violence.
Some of the signatories to the Appeal include Dr. Roop Rekha Verma, Medha Patkar, Harsh Mander, Prof. Virginius Xaxa, Ruth Manorama, Meena Kandasamy, Dr. Gabriele Dietrich, Prafulla Samantara, Elina Horo, SR Darapuri, Prof. Sandeep Pandey, Agnes Kharshiing, Holiram Terang, Prof. Rama Melkote, Jitendra Paswan, Ramarao Dora, Anant Phadke, Kalyani Menon Sen, Kavitha Kuruganti, Ulka Mahajan, Deepa Pawar, Diana, Tavers, Dr. Maroona Murmu, Nalini Nayak, Tshering Chopel Lepcha, Gautam Mody, Henri Tiphagne, Sugathakumari, Romita Reang, Madhu Bhushan, Steffi Lawbei, Manshi Asher, Aquila Khan, Priyanka Samy, Lalita Ramdas, Nandita Narain, Shaktiman Ghosh, Abhirami, Raina, Syed Ali Nadeem and many others.
The Appeal decried the role of the Central and State Government, which has not only failed to restore normalcy to the burning state since 3 months, but has infact been complicit in deepening ethnic tensions and enabling majoritarian violence, leading to gross human rights abuses. It called for a comprehensive and time-bound judicial inquiry to ensure due legal process and accountability of violators and authorities, not only in the ‘viral’ case of sexual violence and murders, but in hundreds of other cases, as admitted by the Chief Minister Mr. Biren Singh, himself. The signatories felt that given their colossal failure, the Union Home Minister and the Chief Minister of Manipur must be asked to immediately step down, owning moral and legal responsibility.
Amongst other things, the Appeal also urges the President to uphold the rights and safety of all vulnerable sections, especially the tribal women and ensure that there is no unconstitutional and unfair change in the list of Scheduled Tribes. The President has also been requested to hold back assent to regressive amendments to forest laws that would have far-reaching adverse impact on forest cover and forest-dwelling communities, in North-East and across India.
The full appeal is below and the Appeal along with list of all signatories is attached as a PDF File.
प्रेस विज्ञप्ती
भारत भर से 3,200+ से अधिक सामाजिक कार्यकर्ताओं और चिंतित नागरिकों ने
राष्ट्रपति से मणिपुर का दौरा करने और प्रताड़ित कुकी-ज़ो महिलाओं के अधिकारों की रक्षा करने की अपील की
राष्ट्रपति से सभी अधिकारियों की जवाबदेही सुनिश्चित करने और
हिंसा–ग्रस्त राज्य में शांति और न्याय की बहाली सुनिश्चित करने का अनुरोध की
23 जुलाई, 2023: जन आंदोलनों का राष्ट्रीय समन्वय (एन.ए.पी.एम) के साथ, देश भर के सैकड़ों आंदोलनों और संगठनों का प्रतिनिधित्व करते हुए, करीब 3,200 से अधिक सामाजिक कार्यकर्ताओं, शिक्षाविदों, कलाकारों, सेवानिवृत्त अधिकारियों और चिंतित नागरिकों ने भारत की माननीय राष्ट्रपति महोदया द्रौपदी मुर्मू को एक अतिआवश्यक और दर्द-भरा अपील जारी की, जिसमें मणिपुर की बेहद गंभीर परिस्थितियों में, उनसे तत्काल हस्तक्षेप की मांग की गई और उनसे अनुरोध किया गया कि वे राज्य का दौरा करें, और सभी उत्पीड़ित लोगों, विशेष रूप से कुकी-ज़ो जन-जातीय महिलाओं को न्याय का आश्वासन दें, जिन्होंने अत्यधिक पीड़ा व यौन, शारीरिक और मानसिक हिंसा का सामना किया है।
अपील पर हस्ताक्षर करने वालों में डॉ. रूप रेखा वर्मा, मेधा पाटकर, हर्ष मंदर, प्रो. वर्जिनियस खाखा, रूथ मनोरमा, मीना कंदासामी, डॉ. गेब्रियल डिट्रिच, प्रफुल्ल सामंतारा, एलिना होरो, एस.आर दारापुरी, प्रो. संदीप पांडे, एग्नेस खारशिंग, होलीराम तेरांग, प्रो. रमा मेलकोटे, जीतेंद्र पासवान, रामाराव दोरा, अनंत फड़के, कल्याणी मेनन सेन, कविता कुरुगंटी, उल्का महाजन, दीपा पवार, डायाना टेवर्स, डॉ. मरूना मुर्मू, नलिनी नायक, शेरिंग चोपेल लेप्चा, गौतम मोदी, हेन्री टिफगने,, सुगाथा कुमारी, रोमिता रियांग, मधु भूषण, स्टेफी लॉबेई, मांशी आशर, अक्विला खान, प्रियंका सामी, ललिता रामदास, नंदिता नारायण, शक्तिमान घोष, अबिरामी, रैना, सैयद अली नदीम और कई हजारों लोग शामिल हैं।
अपील में केंद्र और राज्य सरकार की भूमिका की भर्त्सना की गई, जो न केवल 3 महीने से जलती मणिपुर में सामान्य स्थिति बहाल करने में विफल रही है, बल्कि वास्तव में जातीय तनाव को गहरा करने और बहुसंख्यक हिंसा को बढ़ावा देने के लिए जिम्मेदार है, जिससे मानवाधिकारों का घोर उल्लंघन हो रहा है। यौन हिंसा और हत्याओं के 'वायरल' मामले में ही नहीं, बल्कि सैकड़ों अन्य मामलों में (जैसा कि मुख्यमंत्री बीरेन सिंह ने स्वयं स्वीकार किया), उचित कानूनी प्रक्रिया और उल्लंघनकर्ताओं, अधिकारियों व सत्तादीशों की जवाबदेही सुनिश्चित करने के लिए, अपील ने एक व्यापक और समयबद्ध न्यायिक जांच का आह्वान किया। अपील के हस्ताक्षरकर्ताओं ने महसूस किया कि उनकी भारी विफलता के चलते, केंद्रीय गृह मंत्री और मणिपुर के मुख्यमंत्री को नैतिक और कानूनी जिम्मेदारी लेते हुए, तुरंत पद छोड़ने के लिए कहा जाना चाहिए।
इसके साथ, अपील में राष्ट्रपति से सभी प्रताड़ित समुदायों, विशेष रूप से जनजातीय महिलाओं के अधिकारों की सुरक्षा करने का और यह सुनिश्चित करने का भी आग्रह किया गया है कि, अनुसूचित जनजातियों की सूची में कोई असंवैधानिक और अनुचित बदलाव न हो। राष्ट्रपति महोदया से अपील की गई कि वन कानूनों में प्रतिगामी संशोधनों पर वे अपनी सहमति न दें, जिसका उत्तर-पूर्व और पूरे भारत में वन क्षेत्र और वन-आश्रित समुदायों पर दूरगामी, प्रतिकूल प्रभाव पड़ेगा।
पूरी अपील नीचे है और सभी हस्ताक्षरकर्ताओं की सूची के साथ अपील एक PDF फाइल के रूप में संलग्न है।
जन आंदोलनों का राष्ट्रीय समन्वय (एन.ए.पी.एम) द्वारा जारी संपर्क: napm...@gmail.com
From: napm india <napm...@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2023 at 17:32
Subject: Manipur: All-India Appeal from 3,200 + concerned citizens to the Hon’ble President: Intervene Immediately to Ensure Peace and Justice (Eng & Hindi)
To: <presiden...@rb.nic.in>, <wim...@rb.nic.in>, <secy.pr...@rb.nic.in>
National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM)
Social Media: @napmindia | E-mail: napm...@gmail.com |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
हिन्दी अपील के लिए कृपया नीचे देखें
All-India Appeal from 3,200 + concerned citizens to the Hon’ble President on Manipur:
Intervene Immediately to Ensure Peace and Justice
23rd July, 2023
To,
Madam Draupadi Murmu,
Hon’ble President of India,
Rashtrapati Bhavan,
New Delhi, India
Sub: Seeking your urgent intervention and visit for restoration of peace and justice in strife-torn Manipur and support to violated Kuki-Zo women.
Madam,
We the undersigned organizations and activists associated with the National Alliance of People’s Movements, numerous other progressive organizations and citizens from across India, write to you with a fervent and urgent appeal, in the light of the humanitarian crisis in Manipur.
For almost three months, the North-Eastern state of Manipur has been in a state of unprecedented turmoil and violence, owing to ethnic clashes and miserable failure of the Central and State Governments, in restoring normalcy. What began as popular resistance to the questionable proposal to include non-STs (Meiteis) in the Scheduled Tribes list, soon snowballed into a state-wide crisis of unimaginable proportions, with the Meitei and Kuki communities at the centre of the conflict. The trail of violence has left at least 150 people dead, entire villages razed down and tens of thousands of people displaced, amidst untold suffering for both the communities.
However, what seems to have finally ‘shook the nation’ and compelled the powers-that-be, especially the Prime Minister (who has been silent so far), to ‘speak up’, is the recent viral video of three Kuki-Zo tribal women being paraded naked and sexually assaulted in full public glare, way back on 4th May in Kangpokpi district. In the same instance, the two male members of the family were killed by the mob. While an FIR was filed 2 months back, the first and (only) arrest happened on 20th July, after national outrage, despite the fact that a large mob of identifiable men can be seen in the video.
As per the Chief Minister, Mr. Biren Singh’s own chilling statement, this is just one instance which has come to light, out of more than hundred other such cases! Clearly, this is the ‘tip of the scary iceberg’ and a comprehensive inquiry is needed to ensure due legal process and accountability of violators and authorities in all such instances. Instead of clamping down on internet services, the Govt. must clamp down on the perpetrators of crimes.
Madam, it is absolutely unacceptable and unjustifiable that women’s bodies are used as sites of brutal violence by the State and supremacist, patriarchal forces. While the majoritarian mobs and police are directly culpable, the inaction and complicity of those higher-up in the echelons of power needs questioning too. Even institutions like the NCW, which have been in receipt of complaints of sexual violence and rape since more than a month refused to act for so long! The intervention of the Hon’ble Supreme Court has also sadly been a case of too little, too late.
It is extremely unfortunate and unforgivable that the most brazen and divisive politics is being played by the Government of the day, along with majoritarian, rightist forces, over the lives of vulnerable sections within Manipur, while allowing hate crimes to go on unhindered and unpunished. Infact, given their colossal failure, the Union Home Minister and the Chief Minister of Manipur must be asked to immediately step down, owning moral and legal responsibility.
Madam, we appeal to you; as a woman, as a representative of the adivasi community, custodian of tribal rights and a holder of the highest office under the Indian Constitution to immediately intervene in the light of these grave and deeply disturbing circumstances:
We urge you to immediately visit Manipur and interact with the affected people, especially the women who have suffered grave injustice and give them necessary assurance. The women of Manipur, especially from the Kuki-Zo tribal communities, need a calming, balming support which only someone of your stature can provide.
We also appeal to your good conscience to:
· Call for a comprehensive and time-bound judicial inquiry into all acts of violence, so that all the accused who have perpetrated heinous crimes are arrested, including under SC & ST (PoA) Act, speedy trial and conviction, with life is ensured. Likewise, such an inquiry must fix the accountability of all law enforcement and political authorities, at all levels.
· Ensure independent fact-finding, peace and justice missions of civil society are allowed to visit Manipur, especially the women, and the Govt refrains from intimidatory tactics of stopping or filing FIRs against those visiting the state.
· Uphold tribal rights and guarantee to the people that there shall be no unjust and arbitrary change in the list of the Scheduled Tribes, in violation of the letter and spirit of the Constitution.
We hope you will do all that is possible, as head of the State to appeal for inter-community harmony and ensure peace, with normalcy is restored back, both in the hills and valley of Manipur, and adequate safety is ensured to those in vulnerable situations, especially the Kuki-Zo community and all the violators, at all levels, are brought to book.
Amidst all this mayhem, the Union Govt. is also trying to make far-reaching amendments to forest laws of the country, which will result in massive diversion of forest land across India, including in the North-East, loot of forest resources by private-corporate entities and displacement of adivasis and forest-dwelling communities. We urge you to not assent to these amendments, if and when they come to you from the Parliament, and insist on compliance with provisions of the Constitution, Forest Rights Act, 2006 and other enabling laws.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Roop Rekha Verma, Medha Patkar, Harsh Mander, Prof. Virginius Xaxa, Ruth Manorama, Meena Kandasamy, Dr. Gabriele Dietrich, Prafulla Samantara, Elina Horo, SR Darapuri, Prof. Sandeep Pandey, Agnes Kharshiing, Holiram Terang, Prof. Rama Melkote, Jitendra Paswan, Ramarao Dora, Anant Phadke, Kalyani Menon Sen, Kavitha Kuruganti, Ulka Mahajan, Deepa Pawar, Diana, Tavers, Dr. Maroona Murmu, Nalini Nayak, Tshering Chopel Lepcha, Gautam Mody, Henri Tiphagne, Sugathakumari, Romita Reang, Madhu Bhushan, Steffi Lawbei, Manshi Asher, Aquila Khan, Priyanka Samy, Lalita Ramdas, Nandita Narain, Shaktiman Ghosh, Abhirami, Raina, Syed Ali Nadeem and 3200+ others from across India.
The full Appeal along with list of all signatories is attached as a PDF File.
जन आंदोलनों का राष्ट्रीय समन्वय (NAPM)
राष्ट्रीय कार्यालय: ए /29-30, हाजी हबीब बिल्डिंग, नायगाव क्रास रोड, दादर (पू.), मुंबई 400014 |
ई-मेल: napmindia@gmail.com | वेब:https://napmindia.org/
ट्विटर: @napmindia | ब्लॉग: www.napmindia.wordpress.com
मणिपुर में शांति और न्याय सुनिश्चित करने के लिए, माननीय राष्ट्रपति से 3,200 + चिंतित नागरिकों का देश-व्यापी अपील
23 जुलाई, 2023
प्रति ,
माननीय महोदया द्रौपदी मुर्मू,
माननीय राष्ट्रपति, भारत
राष्ट्रपति भवन
नई दिल्ली, भारत
विषय: हिंसाग्रस्त मणिपुर में शांति और न्याय की बहाली तथा प्रताड़ित कुकी-ज़ो महिलाओं के समर्थन में, आपके तत्काल हस्तक्षेप और दौरे की मांग हेतु ।
महोदया,
हम जन आंदोलनों के राष्ट्रीय समन्वय (एन.ए.पी.एम) से जुड़े सभी संगठन, सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता समेत, भारत भर के कई अन्य प्रगतिशील संगठन और नागरिक, मणिपुर में उत्पन्न गंभीर मानवीय संकट के संदर्भ में एक अतिआवश्यक और भावनात्मक अपील के साथ, आपको लिख रहे हैं।
लगभग तीन महीनों से उत्तरी पूर्व राज्य मणिपुर अभूतपूर्व उथल-पुथल और हिंसा की स्थिति में है। जातीय (एथ्निक) हिंसा को रोकने और सामान्य स्थिति बहाल करने में केंद्र और राज्य की सरकार दयनीय रूप से विफल हो चुकी है। अनुसूचित जनजातियों की सूची में गैर-एस.टी (मैतेई) को शामिल करने के त्रुटिपूर्ण प्रस्ताव के खिलाफ़ शुरू हुआ प्रतिरोध, जल्द ही अकल्पनीय अनुपात के राज्यव्यापी संकट में बदल गया, और संघर्ष के केंद्र में मैतेई और कुकी समुदाय है। इस जातीय हिंसा में कम से कम 150 लोग मारे गए, गांव के गांव तबाह हो गए और हजारों लोग विस्थापित हो चुके हैं, जिससे दोनों समुदायों को अकथनीय पीड़ा झेलनी पड़ी।
हालाँकि, ऐसा प्रतीत होता है कि जिस चीज़ ने अंततः 'देश को झकझोर दिया' और सत्ताधारियों, विशेष रूप से, अभी तक मौन, प्रधान मंत्री को 'बोलने' के लिए मजबूर किया, वह हाल ही में वायरल हुआ वीडियो है, जिसमें 4 मई को कांगपोकपी जिले में तीन कुकी-ज़ो आदिवासी महिलाओं को नग्न घुमाया गया और सार्वजनिक तौर पर उनका यौन उत्पीड़न किया गया। उसी घटना में, उनके परिवार के दो पुरुष सदस्यों को भीड़ ने मार डाला। इस घटना की प्राथमिकी (FIR) 2 महीने पहले दर्ज की गई थी, जबकि देश-व्यापी आक्रोश जताए जाने के बाद, पहली और (एकमात्र) गिरफ्तारी 20 जुलाई को हुई, इस तथ्य के बावजूद कि वीडियो में पहचाने जाने लायक पुरुषों की एक बड़ी भीड़ देखी जा सकती है।
स्वयं मुख्यमंत्री श्री बीरेन सिंह के चौंकाने वाले बयान के अनुसार, सौ से अधिक ऐसे मामलों में से यह केवल एक मामला है, जो प्रकाश में आया है! स्पष्ट रूप से, यह एक विकराल समस्या की छोटी सी झलक भर है। इसलिए, ऐसे सभी मामलों में, उचित कानूनी प्रक्रिया के तहत, उल्लंघन करने वालों, अधिकारियों और सत्तादीशों की जवाबदेही सुनिश्चित करने के लिए एक व्यापक न्यायिक जांच की आवश्यकता है। इंटरनेट सेवाओं पर रोक लगाने के बजाय, सरकार को अपराध करने वालों पर नकेल कसनी चाहिए।
महोदया, महिलाओं के शरीर को राज्य और वर्चस्ववादी, पितृसत्तात्मक ताकतों द्वारा क्रूर हिंसा के लिए उपयोग किया जाना, बिल्कुल अस्वीकार्य और अनुचित है। एक तरफ जब इन हिंसाओं के पीछे बहुसंख्यक भीड़ और पुलिस सीधे तौर पर दोषी हैं, ऐसे में सत्ता के शीर्ष पर बैठे लोगों की निष्क्रियता और मिलीभगत पर भी सवाल उठाने की जरूरत है। यहां तक कि राष्ट्रीय महिला आयोग (NCW) जैसी संस्थाएं, जिन्हें एक महीने से अधिक समय से यौन हिंसा और बलात्कार की शिकायतें मिल रही थीं, उनके द्वारा लंबे समय तक कोई कार्रवाई नहीं की गई! बेहद दुःख की बात है कि माननीय सर्वोच्च न्यायालय द्वारा भी बहुत देर से हस्तक्षेप किया गया ।
यह अत्यंत दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण और अक्षम्य है कि वर्तमान सरकार और बहुसंख्यकवादी, दक्षिणपंथी ताकतों द्वारा मणिपुर के भीतर शोषित वर्गों के जीवन पर सबसे निर्लज्ज और विभाजनकारी राजनीति खेली जा रही है, वहीं घृणा अपराधों को निर्बाध और बिना दंड, के चलने दिया जा रहा है। वास्तव में, केंद्रीय गृह मंत्री और मणिपुर के मुख्यमंत्री के भारी विफलता के संदर्भ में, उन्हें नैतिक और कानूनी जिम्मेदारी लेते हुए, तुरंत पद छोड़ने के लिए कहा जाना चाहिए।
महोदया, एक महिला के रूप में, आदिवासी समुदाय के प्रतिनिधि के नाते, आदिवासी अधिकारों के संरक्षक और भारतीय संविधान के तहत सर्वोच्च पद के धारक के रूप में, इन गंभीर और विचलित करने वाली परिस्थितियों के संदर्भ में, तुरंत हस्तक्षेप करने के लिए हम आपसे अपील करते हैं:
हम आपसे आग्रह करते हैं कि आप तुरंत मणिपुर का दौरा करें और प्रभावित लोगों, विशेषकर उन महिलाओं से मिले, उनसे बातचीत करें जिन्होंने गंभीर अन्याय सहा है और उन्हें आवश्यक आश्वासन दें। मणिपुर की महिलाओं, विशेष रूप से कुकी-ज़ो आदिवासी समुदायों की महिलाओं को एक शांत, संबल देने वाले समर्थन की आवश्यकता है जो केवल आप के कद का कोई व्यक्ति ही प्रदान कर सकता है।
हम आपसे यह भी अपील करते हैं:
· हिंसा के सभी कृत्यों की एक व्यापक और समयबद्ध न्यायिक जांच सुनिश्चित करें, ताकि जघन्य अपराध करने वाले सभी आरोपियों को अनुसूचित जाती एवं अनुसूचित जनजाति (अत्याचार निरोधक) अधिनियम व अन्य कानूनों के तहत गिरफ्तार किया जा सके, त्वरित सुनवाई और आजीवन कारावास सुनिश्चित किया जा सके। इसी तरह, ऐसी जांच में सभी स्तरों पर सभी प्रशासनिक अधिकारियों और राजनेताओं की जवाबदेही तय होनी चाहिए।
· सुनिश्चित करें कि नागरिक समाज के स्वतंत्र तथ्यान्वेषी, शांति और न्याय मिशनों को मणिपुर का दौरा करने की अनुमति दी जाए, विशेषकर महिलाओं से मिलने के लिए, और सरकार राज्य का दौरा करने वालों को रोकने या उनके खिलाफ़ एफ.आई.आर दर्ज करने की डराने-धमकाने वाली रणनीति से परहेज करे।
· आदिवासी अधिकारों को कायम रखें और लोगों को आश्वासन दें कि संविधान की भावना और उसका उल्लंघन करते हुए, अनुसूचित जनजातियों की सूची में कोई अन्यायपूर्ण और मनमाना बदलाव नहीं होगा।
हमें उम्मीद है कि राज्य के प्रमुख के रूप में, आप हर संभव प्रयास करेंगे, जिससे मणिपुर की पहाड़ियों और घाटी दोनों में शांति और सामान्य स्थिति बहाल हो, नाजुक परिस्थितियों में रहने वाले लोगों, विशेष रूप से कुकी-ज़ो समुदाय को पर्याप्त सुरक्षा सुनिश्चित की जाए और सभी स्तरों पर हिंसा के लिए जिम्मेदार लोगों पर, कार्यवाही हो।
इस पूरे भयावह माहौल के बीच, केंद्र सरकार देश के वन कानूनों में दूरगामी संशोधन करने का भी प्रयास कर रही है, जिसके परिणाम स्वरूप उत्तर-पूर्व सहित, पूरे भारत में वन भूमि का बड़े पैमाने पर हस्तान्तरण होगा, निजी-कॉर्पोरेट संस्थाओं द्वारा वन संसाधनों की लूट होगी और आदिवासियों और वन आश्रित समुदायों का विस्थापन होगा। हम आपसे आग्रह करते हैं कि यदि और जब भी ये संशोधन संसद से आपके पास आते हैं, तो आप उन पर सहमति न दें और संविधान, वन अधिकार अधिनियम, 2006 और अन्य सक्षम कानूनों के प्रावधानों के अनुपालन पर जोर दें।
सादर,
डॉ. रूप रेखा वर्मा, मेधा पाटकर, हर्ष मंदर, प्रो. वर्जिनियस खाखा, रूथ मनोरमा, मीना कंदासामी, डॉ. गेब्रियल डिट्रिच, प्रफुल्ल सामंतारा, एलिना होरो, एस.आर दारापुरी, प्रो. संदीप पांडे, एग्नेस खारशिंग, होलीराम तेरांग, प्रो. रमा मेलकोटे, जीतेंद्र पासवान, रामाराव दोरा, अनंत फड़के, कल्याणी मेनन सेन, कविता कुरुगंटी, उल्का महाजन, दीपा पवार, डायाना टेवर्स, डॉ. मरूना मुर्मू, नलिनी नायक, शेरिंग चोपेल लेप्चा, गौतम मोदी, हेन्री टिफगने,, सुगाथा कुमारी, रोमिता रियांग, मधु भूषण, स्टेफी लॉबेई, मांशी आशर, अक्विला खान, प्रियंका सामी, ललिता रामदास, नंदिता नारायण, शक्तिमान घोष, अबिरामी, रैना, सैयद अली नदीम मांशी आशर, अक्विला खान, प्रियंका सामी, ललिता रामदास, नंदिता नारायण, शक्तिमान घोष, अबिरामी, रैना, सैयद अली नदीम और देश भर से 3,200 + लोग।
napm india
National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM)
Social Media: @napmindia | E-mail: napm...@gmail.com |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Press Release, Full Statement and List of Signatories also attached as PDF]
Press Release:
All-India support to the tribal movement in Jammu & Kashmir,
resisting BJP’s Govt’ move to grant ST status to non-STs
31st July, 2023: Numerous national platforms, people’s organizations and social activists from across India lent solidarity to the ongoing democratic protests by the Gujjar Bakarwal and other tribal communities in Jammu and Kashmir, who have been resisting a politically-motivated Bill of the Union Govt, that seeks to grant Scheduled Tribe status to non-STs in the region. The statement, initiated by NAPM, has been endorsed by many adivasi and other activists, advocates, academics, retired bureaucrats, concerned citizens from more than 15+ states, and from within Jammu and Kashmir, in solidarity with the ongoing struggle.
Organizations which have endorsed the statement include: National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), National Platform for Small Scale Fish Workers (NPSSFW), All India Union of Forest Working People (AIUFWP), National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), All India Progressive Women’s Association (AIPWA), People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), All India Lawyers Association for Justice (AILAJ), Youth for Himalayas, Yugma Collective, Penn Urimay Iyakkam, Gramya Resource Centre for Women, One Billion Rising, Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA), Feminists in Resistance, People’s Watch, Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, Act Now for Harmony and Democracy (ANHAD), Saheli Women's Resource Centre, Bahujan Sahitya Sangh, Democratic Teachers' Front, Telangana Domestic Workers Union, Socialist Party (India) etc.
Pointing to the institutional complicity and failure in this entire process, the statement highlighted how the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry and the National Commission of Scheduled Tribes (NCST), which are supposed to safeguard the rights of the tribal communities, infact green signalled this proposal to include non-STs, based on the Justice (Retd.) G.D. Sharma Commission’s Report. That this happened within a month of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s public announcement and assurance of reservations to the ‘Pahadis’ (non-STs) in Rajouri in Oct’ 22 is a classic statement on how decisions of such a nature are influenced by this Govt, the statement read.
The signatories expressed deep concern at the ulterior moves of the BJP Govt. to extend Scheduled Tribe Status to non-tribal groups and create further social strife in a region of historical conflict that has already been bearing the brunt of violence and militarization over decades. They said that the move would also defeat the very purpose of reservations, envisaged by the makers of the Indian Constitution as a measure for the upliftment of the socio - educationally backward communities. The demands put forth include:
· Union Govt. must immediately roll back the Constitution (Jammu & Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
· MPs across political parties must not vote in favour of the above Bill that fundamentally compromises and violates the rights of the tribal communities.
· Forest rights of tribal and forest dwelling communities of J&K must be fully upheld in terms of the FRA Act, 2006. Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023 must be withdrawn.
The organizations and citizens endorsing the statement also warned that the Govt’s insistence on pushing through these Bills despite grassroots opposition, should not become a pretext for the State to view it only as a ‘‘law and order problem’ and crack down on the democratic movement. Be it in Manipur or J&K, the BJP’s anti-tribal and anti-people policies must be opposed by citizens across India and peaceful political resolution to the tribal struggles needs to be explored.
The full Statement, along with list of all signatories is below and attached as a PDF File.
Contact: napm...@gmail.com
napm india
National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM)
Social Media: @napmindia | E-mail: napm...@gmail.com |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Appeal also attached as PDF]
Fill the form here: https://forms.gle/AgP3NtTeMeTPX27c7
Urgent Appeal for Financial Support to Sustain NAPM Secretariat
Dear friends and well-wishers of NAPM,
This is an urgent Appeal on behalf of the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) for support to our National Secretariat. As you all know, for the past 3 decades, NAPM has been an autonomous, unfunded alliance of people’s organizations from across India. Activities of NAPM have been supported entirely through voluntary engagements and domestic public contributions. Despite the current challenging political and financial situation, the Alliance, through its volunteer base, has tried to remain active on multiple fronts and responds to emerging issues of socio-political, economic, ecological significance and undertakes different initiatives and campaigns in this regard.
For almost 5 years now, NAPM has not had any full-time paid person in our Secretariat, because we have not been able to raise resources for the same. Throughout this period, and even otherwise, most of NAPM’s work is undertaken by people from different parts of the country, who volunteer for different tasks. A smaller core team of saathis have been voluntarily involved in the primary co-ordination of a lot of this, but it has been getting very difficult for us to sustain in the same mode, because it literally demands full-time and more from us, with diverse work commitments.
Given the overall situation in the country and the increasing number of issues that we need to engage on regularly, respond to etc., the role of a functional, well-equipped Secretariat becomes very crucial. Besides, in 2024, NAPM marks 30 years of its journey and in the run-up to the same, various organizational initiatives at the national level, as well as state and thematic levels are being planned and undertaken. All of this requires meticulous co-ordination and follow-up by the NAPM team, with the able support of someone who can give substantial time to the tasks at hand.
We are, therefore, considering formally appointing at least one, and if possible two persons for leading the NAPM Secretariat on a full-time basis. Since NAPM is a huge pan-Indian alliance, we would require at least, two paid whole-timers in the Secretariat, to be able to effectively co-ordinate within the Alliance, with various organizations and individuals.
For the longest time, NAPM has tried to work in a frugal way and even now that is the primary format of the functioning. However, considering the rising inflation and our minimal internal estimates of human and other resources, we feel an amount of Rs. 1 lakh per month would be required for the Secretariat. Thus, for a period of one year, it should come upto Rs. 12 lakhs.
As our supporter and well-wisher, we look forward to a generous contribution from you. We also hope you will be able to share this Appeal with others who you know would be able to contribute. No amount is small for a public cause and all support is equally valuable. Please note that NAPM can only accept contributions in Indian Rupees. We encourage non-institutional domestic support. To contribute, you can fill this form (https://forms.gle/AgP3NtTeMeTPX27c7) or e-mail us at napm...@gmail.com or call at 9919664444 / 9973363664 for details on how you can contribute.
Thanking you once again for your support.
Ashish Ranjan Arundhati Dhuru Meera Sanghamitra
Volunteers, National Convenors of NAPM (on behalf of National Working Group)
Appeal dt. 4th Aug, 2023
napm india
National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM)
Social Media: @napmindia | E-mail: napm...@gmail.com |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PRESS RELEASE: 13th August, 2023
Shameful Attack on democratic ideals of Gandhi, Vinobha and JP
NAPM condemns the brutal bulldozing of Sarva Seva Samiti
in violation of Orders of the Supreme Court
12th August, 2023 witnessed a horrific and shameful attack on the ideas and values of Gandhi, Vinoba and Jayprakash Narayan by this fascist regime. Sarva Seva Samiti, situated in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, which has been active in the last 6 decades, fostering democratic ideals was brutally bulldozed by the BJP Govt. The Samiti campus consisting of more than 10 thousand progressive books, which preserved a remarkable history of the country, was razed to the ground.
The Hon'ble Supreme Court in its Order dated 7th August, 2023 had directed the lower court to conduct the hearing expeditiously. Despite being pending in the court, the process of demolition started at 6 am on 12th Aug morning without any competent order.
On 11th August, 2023, a large public protest meeting was organized in which representatives of people’s organizations from all over India and hundreds of common citizens of Banaras were also present. The meeting was addressed by many well-known leaders and activists including Prof. Anand Kumar, Rakesh Tikait, Medha Patkar, Yogendra Yadav, Faisal Khan, Dr. Sunilam, Feroze Mithiborewala etc. The meeting challenged the ruthless bulldozer policy of the Govt, be it in UP or Haryana, especially targeting muslims and also raised the issue of illegal occupation of lands of fisherpeople and other marginalized communities in the name of ‘development’.
We see this overnight action of demolition by the government, right after the huge public meeting as a deliberate attempt to suppress public voices.
Throughout yesterday 10 activists from various civil society groups and organizations opposing the demolition were arbitrarily detained and let off late in the night.
The Sarva Seva Samiti played an important role in strengthening the Indian progressive ideas. Hence, this should be seen as an attack by the present ruling party on the ideas that strengthen Indian democracy.
Besides, there are concerns that the Government plans to hand over this land to capitalists in the name of ‘Railways’.
National Alliance of People’s Movements strongly condemns this unconstitutional, subversive activity by the BJP Government. We demand that this demolition of Sarvaseva Samiti be stopped immediately, the buildings must be restored back to their original form and the said land must not be given out for any capitalist ventures. The Govt. must be held accountable for its unlawful actions of demolition and related arbitrary detentions, in violation of judicial orders.
जन आंदोलनों का राष्ट्रीय समन्वय (NAPM)
राष्ट्रीय कार्यालय: ए /29-30, हाजी हबीब बिल्डिंग, नायगाव क्रास रोड, दादर (पू.), मुंबई 400014 |
ई-मेल: napmindia@gmail.com | वेब:www.napm-india.org
ट्विटर: @napmindia | ब्लॉग: www.napmindia.wordpress.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
प्रेस विज्ञप्ति: 13 अगस्त, 2023
गांधी, विनोबा और जे.पी के लोकतांत्रिक विचारों पर हमला शर्मनाक
सुप्रीम कोर्ट के आदेशों का उल्लंघन करते हुए,
सर्व सेवा समिति परिसर पर बर्बरतापूर्ण बुलडोजर चलना निंदनीय: एन.ए.पी.एम
12 अगस्त, 2023 का दिन इस फासीवादी सरकार का गांधी, विनोबा और जयप्रकाश नारायण के विचारों और मूल्यों पर भयानक हमले का गवाह बना। उत्तर प्रदेश के वाराणसी में स्थित सर्व सेवा समिति, जो पिछले 6 दशकों सेलोकतांत्रिक विचारों को बढ़ावा देती आई, की इमारत पर बेरहमी से भा.ज.पा सरकार द्वारा बुलडोज़र चला दिया गया। 10 हजार से अधिक क्रांतिकारी पुस्तकों से युक्त, देश के उल्लेखनीय इतिहास को संजोए हुए, समिति परिसर को जमींदोज कर दिया गया।
माननीय सर्वोच्च न्यायालय ने अपने 7 अगस्त 2023 के आदेश में निचली अदालत को शीघ्रता से सुनवाई करने का निर्देश भी दिया है। न्यायालय में विचाराधीन होने के बावजूद, बिना किसी सक्षम आदेश के, कल सुबह 6 बजे से ध्वस्तीकरण की प्रक्रिया शुरू कर दी गई।
दिनांक 11 अगस्त 2023 को भारत भर से आए जनसंगठनों के प्रतिनिधियों, और बनारस के सैकड़ों आम नागरिकों के एक विशाल जनसमूह द्वारा, जन प्रतिरोध सभा का आयोजन किया गया था। सभा को राकेश टिकैत, प्रोफेसर आनंद कुमार, मेधा पाटकर, योगेन्द्र यादव, फैसल खान, डॉ. सुनीलम, फिरोज़ मीठीबोर्वाला सहित कई जाने-माने नेताओं और सामाजिक कार्यकर्ताओं ने संबोधित किया। इस सभा में यू.पी हो या हरियाणा, खासकर मुसलमानों को प्रताड़ित करने वाली सरकार की क्रूर बुलडोजर नीति को चुनौती दी गई। ‘विकास’ के नाम पर मछुआरों और अन्य वंचित समुदायों के ज़मीनो पर अवैध कब्जे़ का मुद्दा भी उठाया गया।
इस विशाल जन सभा के बाद, सरकार की ‘तुरंत कार्यवाही’ को हम जन आवाजों को दबाने की कोशिश के रूप में देखते है। कई जनसंगठनों और गांधी विचारधारा में विश्वास रखने वाले सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता, जो इस विध्वंस का विरोध कर रहे थे (लगभग 10 साथियों), को मनमानी रूप से हिरासत में लिया गया और देर रात को छोड़ा।
सर्वसेवा समिति की इस इमारत में, लोकतांत्रिक जनसंघर्षों के इतिहास, हजारों पुस्तकों तथा स्मृति चिन्हों के रूप में सँजोया हुआ था। समिती भारतीय क्रांतिकारी विचारों को सशक्त करने में एहम भूमिका निभाई है।इसे भारतीय लोकतंत्र को मज़बूती देने वाले विचारों के ऊपर वर्तमान सत्ताधीशों द्वारा किए गए हमले के रूप में देखाना चाहिए। साथ ही, ‘रेलवे’ के नाम पर इस ज़मीन को सरकार पूंजीपतियों को सुपुर्द करने का एक षडयंत्र भी है।
जन आंदोलनों का राष्ट्रीय समन्वय (NAPM) सरकार की इस असंवैधानिक, विध्वंसक गतिविधि की पुरजोर निंदा करता है। हम मांग करते है की सर्वसेवा समिती के भवन का विध्वंस तत्काल रोका जाए और इमारत को उसके मूल स्वरूप में वापस लाया जाना चाहिए। न्यायिक आदेशों के उल्लंघन में विध्वंस और मनमाने ढंग से सामाजिक कार्यकर्ताओं को हिरासत में लेने की कार्रवाइयों के लिए, सरकार को जवाबदेह ठहराया जाना चाहिए।
जन आंदोलनों का राष्ट्रीय समन्वय (एन.ए.पी.एम) द्वारा जारी संपर्क: napm...@gmail.com
napm india
National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM)
Social Media: @napmindia | E-mail: napm...@gmail.com |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Statement also attached as PDF]
NAPM condemns the vindictive targeting of progressive media houses, including NewsClick,
for holding the current regime accountable to ‘We The People’ and the Constitution
16th Aug, 2023: National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) condemns the latest round of vicious allegations against NewsClick, an independent media organisation, whose primary focus since it was founded in 2009, has been to cover news on public interest and diverse, progressive, working-class movements within India and beyond. This comes as part of the larger attack of the current pro-corporate establishment against all independent media houses, challenging its gross failures and exposing its heinous crimes; while it lends a free hand to hate, fake news and propagandist media, infamously known as ’godi media’! NAPM holds that these attacks by the powers-that-be, especially BJP Govt. are a direct infringement of the constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression of media houses which are responsible, democratic and law-abiding.
The current action of targeting the NewsClick include the attachment of a flat linked to its Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Prabir Purkayastha on 9th August, by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, alleging it was part of the ‘fraudulent foreign funds’ infusion that ED was probing. The ED had earlier attached Purkayastha’s fixed deposits. The twitter handle of NewsClick was also suspended for a while.
Even as Courts are looking into the matter, not only has media trial of NewsClick begun, but even MPs of the BJP stated in Parliament that NewsClick has been pushing ‘China’s agenda’! They also accused the Congress party of defending NewsClick, when the ED began its investigation in 2021 into its funding. Mr. Nishikant Dubey (BJP MP), who was among the most vociferous in his targeting, had several words from his speech deleted after the Congress strongly objected to the "defamatory charges", and sought its removal. Another so-called letter by 255 ‘eminent citizens’ (including some former judges, bureaucrats, army officers) to the President of India and the Chief Justice, summarily painting NewsClick as an ‘anti-national, anti-democratic’ portal is grossly disturbing and indicates how the regime deploys all forces to discredit truth-seekers.
These attacks came after the New York Times, in a report on billionaire Neville Roy Singham based in Shanghai, wrote on how he was ‘at the heart of an intrinsically linked network of activists’ groups, non-profit organisations and shell companies’. The report claimed corporate filings show, Singham's network financed “a news site, NewsClick’, that sprinkled its coverage with Chinese government talking points"!
Numerous media organizations in India reacted immediately, saying suggestions that NewsClick serves as a ‘mouthpiece for a neighbouring country’ are “unwarranted and condemnable”. The Press Club of India, the Indian Women’s Press Corps, the Delhi Union of Journalists and Press Association, in their statement against what it termed as a “witch-hunt” against NewsClick, said that media outlets which critically examine government actions are not “unpatriotic or a tool of any foreign nation.”
In a strong show of support, the statement pointed out the portal features contributions from individuals of integrity and substance. “Articles that offer critical yet appreciative perspectives on the policies of other countries should not be mistaken for advocacy on their behalf.” The media organizations have also called for transparency in action whereby sponsors and funding sources of all portals are disclosed, including those that support the government.
NewsClick, responding to the charges, via its recently restored Twitter handle stated that the allegations made by certain political actors and sections of the media are unfounded and without any basis in fact or law and that any insinuation that NewsClick functions as a ‘mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China or other interests is false’. It also adds that it has its faith in the Indian courts and that the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi, has, having found a prima facie case in favour of NewsClick, granted interim relief from arrest to various officials of the Company. It is also notable that the Hon’ble Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Special Acts) Delhi has dismissed a complaint filed by the income tax authority against NewsClick, finding the same to be without merit.
NAPM demands an end to the persecution of independent media and other progressive media portals that hold the State and elected Governments accountable to their mandate in the Constitution and democratic laws of the land. We extend our solidarity to NewsClick, The Wire, Alt News and numerous other media organizations, fact-checking portals who are at the ‘receiving end’ of state ire and fire in these horrid times and are yet making best of their efforts, to inform the common people of news with factual updates and objective analysis.
napm india
All-India Feminist Forum
(National Alliance of People’s Movements)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remembrance and Resistance against Gendered Crimes & Injustices!
Solidarity with all Transgender Persons in their struggles for equity and dignity!
20th November 2023: All India Feminist Forum remembers with pain and pride, scores of transgender people across India and the globe, on this Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR), who have faced and fought structural injustices, in life and in ‘death’. While there are no official figures of the total number of deaths and killings of transpersons in India, ground reports from different states are quite alarming. For instance, in Tamil Nadu alone, there have been around 29 cases of murders or transpersons being pushed to ‘suicide’ in the past one year! There are similar accounts from multiple other states. This is something deeply horrifying and needs a wider and sustained movement for change. We need to commit ourselves to building a social and political system, where all persons, regardless of their gender and sexuality, are entitled to safety, rights, dignity and equity, and don’t have to lead ‘second-class lives’ or succumb to discrimination and ‘death’ by gendered hate, humiliation and violence.
As is known, TDoR is observed annually in the month of November, to honour the memory of transgender persons whose lives are taken away by violence - institutional, systemic/structural, or familial. It is important to acknowledge the presence of these different kinds of violence inflicted on transpersons, since they highlight the existence of it in both direct/overt and invisible forms. The Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR) began initially in 1999, as a vigil organized by Gwendolyn Ann Smith, a transgender woman and activist, to honour the memory of Rita Hester, an African-American transgender woman who was brutally murdered in November 1998. Denied dignity in life and ‘death’, Rita’s killing led to some of her loved ones to mark the occasion to respectfully remember her. Since then, TDoR has been a day to remind all of us globally, that trans lives can’t be erased in reality and in memory.
It needs to be mentioned that the systemic and structural kinds of violence are often invisibilized – be it through underreporting of trans-specific violence, to the inequality in socio-legal structures (such as delay and denial of issuing of necessary documents documenting the transgender identity of the person) leading to exclusion of transpersons from basic rights such as the right to food, housing, social security, healthcare and equality of access to justice. As one report shows through case studies on transgender rights across the globe, structural inequalities lead to poverty, marginalisation, and “may also prevent trans people from accessing healthcare services”. This lack of access to basic rights exemplifies a form of structural violence.
Institutional violence occurs and is driven by prejudice, bias against and ridicule of transpersons who come to healthcare centres to seek healthcare or gender-affirmative care. Lack of sensitization of healthcare professionals and officials directly leads to a lack of access for transpersons who may want to access public spaces such as healthcare centres, police stations (for filing complaints/reporting crimes) etc. In educational institutes such as schools and colleges and places of employment, shaming, bullying and other forms of mental and emotional abuse adversely impact transpersons who are unable to find a way out of this institutional violence where they also have to go to access and avail their basic rights.
Natal family violence is one of the leading causes of ‘death’ of transgender persons. In a heteronormative society, to grow up as a person non-conforming of the binary genders is a harrowing experience for any child. While adulthood (18 years) enables a certain level of freedom to the transpersons, being a minor mandates them to have to continue living with their natal family which may not be accepting and often be actively violent towards their trans children. Transness is considered synonymous with violent forms of ‘mental illness’ in most cases, which is a dangerously misinformed stereotype held by many in our country. Such stereotypes and prejudices lead to trans children (at times even trans adults) being subjected to “corrective” therapies and measures which often include rape to “correct” the sexuality of trans children. Intimate partner violence in relationships where transpersons are involved is also one of the main causes of direct violence faced by transpersons.
The violence is intrinsic to the family as a structure which is in place to maintain caste purity and acts as a mechanism of patriarchal control. But the family (in its traditional, heteronormative, monogamous, and reproductive form) is also the only form of relation that the state recognizes for a person even when this person faces violence from it, which means that they still get to make decisions for them (where they live, their partners, medical decisions etc.) and so on. Additionally, in a context in which many fundamental rights are defined in relation to familial relations, or imply these, and families are understood as exclusive of the kind of relationships that we establish among ourselves, it means that trans people (and kinship/care networks) by default do not get access to availing their rights.
These instances go on to show that violence against transpersons are not isolated instances, but a larger pervasive phenomenon symptomatic of the kind of society we live in - transphobic, patriarchal, prejudiced and violative of basic human rights, at large. These are also embedded in the state and other institutions, in the family structure and caste system in India. Given these intersections and their nexus and what they lead to, there are many demands raised and fought for by transpersons in India.
TDoR is thus also observed as a day to reiterate the demands of the transgender community. In India, these demands have been long-sought and actively advocated for by trans movements, activists, lawyers and various individuals. We extend our solidarity with the transgender community in the following reflections and demands:
1. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act was passed by the Indian Parliament in August 2019 with insufficient consultation with transgender persons and groups. Multiple protests highlighted some key problems with the draft Bill, but except a few, many necessary changes were ignored. The Act remains in contradiction with the principles articulated under the NALSA judgement (April, 2014), in that it puts in place a system which is ambiguous on the issue of self-determination.
While some of the provisions of the Act can prove to be enabling, they are lacking in effective implementation. It has been four years since the passage of the Act, yet the mandate of Trans Act 2019 and Rules, 2020 has not been followed through effectively across many states in the context of anti-discrimination protection, education, healthcare, livelihoods, raising awareness and sensitization amongst various sections of society and state etc.
2. The Trans Act 2019 mandates competent authorities to ensure access to medical and health services for Transgender community, which includes gender-affirming services. However, the lack of affordable gender-affirming services coupled with hostility and bias, renders most medical setups inaccessible to transpersons.
3. Excessive delays in the issuance of Transgender ID Cards, along with a lack of awareness and sensitivity in officials towards trans persons, often accompanied by prejudice, is resulting in delays in making essential documents for transpersons which are needed to avail basic services and access basic rights, including the right to education and the right to work.
4. The demand for affirmative action in the form of reservation for transpersons is an extension of the fundamental right to education, right to work and right to representation. These demands are for reservation in the spheres of education, employment and politics. This underscores the importance of Horizontal Reservations for Transgender persons owing to the double marginality faced by transgender persons from oppressed caste and social locations. Vertical reservations (as accorded in the Constitutional categories of SC, ST and OBC), if replicated for trans persons, shall require them to choose between their caste or gender identity and are hence unfair.
5. The demand for an effective, functional and inclusive “Transgender Welfare Board” in all states, with adequate budgets, to be constituted (as mandated by the Trans Act 2019) to act as an avenue for bringing up of aforementioned issues.
6. Marking the Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR) officially and taking effective, urgent steps to end all forms of discrimination and violence against transpersons. Stringent legal action and conviction in all cases of killings and violence against transpersons.
There are many ongoing regional struggles to pursue the above demands – in states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Assam, Manipur, Karnataka, West Bengal, Delhi etc. We also extend our solidarity to the ‘Trutiya Panthi Hakka Adhikar Sangharsh Samiti’ in Maharashtra, ‘Trans Rights Now Collective’ and trans movements in Tamil Nadu and other states for their sustained struggles to assert Horizontal Reservations.
On this day, we also reiterate the need for the wider society to self-reflect and ask questions, especially as persons who are or wish to be allies to the transgender community:
· What are we doing specifically in our communities and spaces to enable transpersons, in their journey of self-assertion?
· How can those of us who are non-trans, use our privileges to translate our solidarity into meaningful action, as a part of our allyship towards the trans community?
· What are some of the intersections of identity (assigned or borne out of circumstances or choices) that make a trans person more susceptible to hate, and violence? (ex-caste, religion, sex-work etc.)
As we mark the Transgender Day of Remembrance, we hope these articulations and questions lead to real and continued solidarity to the trans communities for their right to self-determination and self-dignity. The struggles of the transgender community are connected to basic democratic values, fundamental rights - the right to life of dignity for each individual, freedom from violence, right to education, right to work, right to food, health care, housing, social security etc. - amongst many others. It is the equal responsibility of the progressive groups and society at large, beyond the transgender community and the LGBTQIA+ community, to develop an understanding of and sensitivity towards these struggles and work towards collective change.
Issued by: All India Feminist Forum: NAPM
Email: nariva...@gmail.com
napm india
National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM)
Social Media: @napmindia | E-mail: napm...@gmail.com |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appeal for pan-Indian solidarity with the Pashmina March in Ladakh
Dear comrades, Zindabad !
As we all know, the next phase of the ongoing struggle in Ladakh, spearheaded by the People’s Movement for the 6th Schedule’ has begun. Recently, renowned environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk completed his 21-day hunger strike. Alongside him, thousands of Ladakhi citizens participated in this movement, receiving support from all over the country. Yet, the Indian government remains silent and has not engaged in meaningful dialogue with the activists and people.
Through this peaceful struggle, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) are raising two main demands:
- Grant statehood to Ladakh and initiate democratic processes in the region.
- Include Ladakh in the Schedule 6 of the Constitution, giving local communities the right to self-determination and decision-making.
We support these demands for democratic rights and to protect the Himalayas from centrally imposed ‘development’ plans that destroy the environment and unjustly profit the corporations. For reference, view the statements of NAPM, Vikalp Sangam and other collectives supporting this movement: https://chng.it/d256wQNvLx
Now, the next phase of the movement has begun with women who sat on hunger strike, this past week. Youth will follow next and if necessary, Sonam ji will resume his fast for the second time. The destructive ‘development’ plans have caused displacement of Ladakhi people, especially the nomadic pastoralist groups, who have been deprived of accessing natural resources. In addition, despite the Indian government’s attempts to conceal, it is stated that China has been encroaching on large swathes of Indian territory, which too is leading to displacement of the local communities. Concerns regarding territorial sovereignty raised deserve to be taken seriously. It is to bring to light these plights of the Ladakhi people and to protect their identity and existence, the ‘Pashmina March’ has been announced from the 7th of April.
On 7th April, thousands will march towards the Changthang area along the China border. Gandhi ji’s longest hunger strike lasted 21 days. Sonam Wagchuk and other local activists are taking inspiration from the Dandi March to organize the Pashmina March. This is a historic moment. Through the Ladakh Movement, the citizens of the country have been urged to organize marches/yatras in their areas, rallying support for their issues and joining this movement to save their mountains, rivers, forests, and biodiversity.
National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), supports the Ladakh movement, and will express solidarity through active participation from across the country. All people's movements, organizations, groups, and allies are urged to organize marches and other programs in their regions on 7th April in support of the Pashmina March in Ladakh, connecting it with their issues and showing solidarity to Ladakh's suffering and their struggle against governmental policies. Do also read and circulate NAPM’s proposal for a Jan Jagran Yatra (20th to 30th April, 2024) to intensify the movement for decentralized democratic governance at the grassroots.
Save Ladakh. Save the Himalayas.
Save the Environment. Save Democracy.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National Alliance of People’s
Movements
Along With Ladakh, We Need to Save Nature, Democracy and the Constitution!
Real ‘Progress’ only through Gram Sabhas &
Basti Sabhas!
20th to 30th
April, 2024: Jan Jagran Yatra
Call for people’s participation! Deepening democracy at the grassroots!
Zindabad Comrades!
You all must be aware that as part of the ongoing people's struggle in Ladakh, after Sonam Wangchuk's 21-day hunger strike, women and youth have also started to join in. The key issue that has emerged from this movement is that of the de-centralisation of decision-making and development planning! It is movements like this that lead the way towards achieving democracy and public participation towards truly equitable and sustainable progress, as against misplaced, top-down priorities in the garb of ‘development’.. This is needed to ensure a paradigm shift in the current destructive, anti-people model of ‘vikas’, where there is an incessant attack on farm lands, water bodies, forests, rivers, ground water, minerals etc through corporate plunder and deepening climate crisis. This is why Ladakh has demanded statehood and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution!
Articles 243 and 244 of the Constitution, as well as the 73rd and 74th Amendments broadly cover the legal framework for de-centralized governance in tribal, rural and urban areas. Currently, the Sixth Schedule is applicable to four north-eastern states and Fifth Schedule to 10 other states that facilitate local democratic participation through laws like the PESA (Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act,1996. The three-tier frameworks through the Panchayati Raj Acts and Municipality Acts in rural and urban areas, that includes Gram Sabhas and Ward Sabhas are meant to be key decision-making bodies, although often neglected.
While there are many successful examples of people’s movements and interventions across India, leading to assertion of these rights, a lot more needs to be done, especially in today’s time of centralization and corporate loot. What is really needed is for all of us to engage in a continuous process of dialogue and struggle to fully understand, realise and ensure implementation of these constitutional rights that give power to people at the local level.
Therefore, active participation in the Gram Sabhas or Basti /Area Sabahs in large numbers is necessary. It is possible to table one or many multiple proposals, which may relate to issues of housing, roads, water and sanitation, electricity, agriculture, MNREGA, protection of commons, ration, pension, or any of the other rights. By presenting these demands in the meetings, we can follow-up with local representatives and hold them accountable. We must also consider raising issues of injustice or rights violations within the local bodies and through local representative, such as the imposition of big projects by the government without the consent of the villagers or opposition to mining, deforestation, alienation of land, or diversion of water.
It is important to immediately spread awareness in every village and every basti on these issues. The people of Ladakh and Sonam Wagchuk have called on everyone to march with them, in solidarity. So, let us journey from village to village and basti to basti, interact with people, and support them to organise their gram sabhas and area sabhas. To make this effort successful, let build consciousness amongst our fellow citizens, alert our local representatives and prepare the ground.
We propose a campaign for Decentralized Democratic Governance from 20th April to 30th April. Through this, we can lend our solidarity with Ladakh, through signature campaigns and other activities. We can also raise our local issues and assert our rights, while challenging establishment parties and paradigms that are anti-people, anti-environment, and anti-constitutional. Let us start organising, to make this successful! Let us make meaningful use of our right to vote in the upcoming elections and resolve to defeat the anti-constitutional power holders.
Civic, Citizenship Rights Is Our Call !
‘Development’, through Constitution, Democracy & Ecology for all!
We declare that we are not bound by the Government’s arbitrary diktats. We are neither just ‘voters’ or mere ‘beneficiaries’. We are and shall always be planners of our own development. This is the path towards achieving democratic and constitutional rights. We will conserve our rivers, water, forests, land, minerals and nature and preserve our democratic rights and culture of justice and equity. We will annihilate discrimination based on religion, caste and gender. Let’s plan aur actions and ways forward.
Destruction veiled as ‘Development’ Rejected !
Social - Environmental Justice must be Respected !
napm india
National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM)
Social Media: @napmindia | E-mail: napm...@gmail.com |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Press Release:
Elections 2024: BJP’s Decadal Performance and Manifesto are a
betrayal of and assault on
the farming communities of India!
Mainstream Political Party Manifestoes fall short of addressing severe agrarian crisis
and livelihood concerns of small, marginal farmers, fishers and agri workers!
26th April 2024: As the country is in the midst of polling for the Lok Sabha elections, leaders of farmers movements, activists and researchers today called out mainstream political parties for their inadequate to insensitive approach towards some of the fundamental questions affecting the agrarian communities across India and the lack of a comprehensive vision, grounded in principles of equity, justice and sustainability. In particular, they lashed out at BJP – the party-in-power at the Centre, for the past 10 years, whose record and Manifesto has been a gross betrayal of and assault on the farming communities of India. Speakers at the Online Press Conference and Meeting organized by the National Alliance of Agrarian Communities of NAPM today afternoon, included Rambeti, Sangtin Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan (UP) and National Convenor, NAPM; Uttam Gayen, General Secretary, Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity (PBKMS); Pradip Chatterjee, National Platform for Small Scale Fish Workers (NPSSFW); Dr. Sagari Ramdas, Food Sovereignty Alliance (FSA) and Medha Patkar, Narmada Bachao Andolan, MP & Maharashtra & NAPM. The session was moderated by: Maansi, Maadhyam and NAJAR.
Speaking on different aspects of the agrarian crisis and demands, the speakers:
· Highlighted key issues of small and marginal farmers, fish workers, adivasi, dalit cultivators, agricultural workers, livestock rearers, women farmers and other communities, who form the bulk of the agrarian economy, but whose voices and issues remain largely unaddressed.
· Reviewed the experiences of the past decade in the agrarian sector and the specific role of the Government of India and the BJP, which has intensified loot and distress of agrarian communities, while benefiting large corporations and tweaking laws in their favour.
· Commented on the positions taken and promises made by various political parties in their manifestos with regard to the agrarian sector, in particular of BJP and INC, but also of some of the other parties such as DMK, TMC, CPM CPI-ML (Liberation) etc.
Rambeti said that the past 10 years rule of the BJP has been anti-farmer, anti-worker, anti-women and anti-youth and laws have been made to benefit companies, not common people. She spoke of the hardships rural agricultural workers in states like UP faced during lockdown and even after that. She highlighted the specific issues of women, small and marginal farmers and agri workers and the lack of support systems for them; be it of insurance, crop loss compensation etc. She also spoke of labour law violations such as increasing work hours from 8 to 12 hrs per day, in some states. She felt that since the INDIA Alliance and some of its constituent parties seem to acknowledge their issues, they are likely to support them, although these parties shall also be held accountable if they don’t keep up their poll promises.
Pointing to the severe agrarian crisis in West Bengal, Uttam Gayen stated that due to the anti-federal nature of the ruling party at the Centre and the inability of the state government to address workers issues, MNREGA workers were badly affected. To this day, crores of rupees are pending as wage payments from Centre, forcing lakhs of farm workers to migrate to far-off states and their families live in precarious conditions. Despite legal and ground battles, payment are still pending. Although agricultural workers form the backbone of the agrarian economy, he said that the Govt lacks a vision for their welfare. The Govt needs to come up with policies both for small farmers and cultivators and also for the landless agricultural workers.
Giving a comprehensive overview of the challenges facing millions of small, traditional fish workers, Pradip Chatterjee lamented that both BJP and INC’s manifestoes reveal a lack of vision for the well-being of small fishers. Rather, there is a tilt towards commercialization and BJP’s approach, both in the past decade and in its manifesto unapologetically points to this. It is indeed sad that even after more than seven decades of independence, these issues remain unresolved and small scall fishers have no legal right to water bodies and fish resources for sustainable fishing, thus forcing many of them to migrate to other occupations.
He condemned the top-down approach of building mega-ports, inland water ways, tourism hubs etc. without any consultation with small fisher communities, across India, violating the principles of climate justice. He rued that even the INC does not address demands of the community for withdrawal of the Indian Marine Fisheries Bill, Indian Major Ports Bill etc. Women fishers constitute more than 50% of the small-scale fishers and are more marginalized, but they there are no measures for them. The poll promises of diesel subsidy only helps mechanized fishing, leading to overfishing, impacting small fishers. The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) is not accessible to small fishers but helps fishing entrepreneurs. He also reiterated the demand for an independent Fisheries Ministry.
Dr. Sagari Ramdas made a detailed and comparative presentation of the manifestoes of different parties. She called out the BJP Govt’s approach as a direct attack on the diversity of livestock-based livelihoods of adivasi, dalit, bahujan, vimukta communities across India. She said that the livelihoods of close to 500 million people in the nation are linked to meat, however the ruling party has been showing utter disrespect for the rights of these citizens and infact has been vilifying and targeting communities for their food and livelihood practices. The problem of stray animals in the past few years and crops being destroyed has also been primarily due to BJP’s faulty and regressive policies.
She questioned the mega milk monopolies and felt this infringes on state autonomy and rights of small milk producers. She felt even the INC has reduced the livestock-livelihoods largely to dairy and has failed to look at the diversity beyond this. She stated that BJP has been undermining the federal nature of the Constitution and the powers of state governments to frame polices, different from the centralized manuvadi diktats. She also spoke of other important aspects such as need for land reforms, grazing rights, implementation of FRA, protection of commons etc.
Typing up the various points that came up in the session, Medha Patkar underlined that all categories of workers and producers in the agrarian sector – be it small, tenant and marginal farmers, agricultural workers, fisher people, forest dwelling and adivasi communities, livestock rearers etc. are farmers and we must unite to organize for their rights to recognition, dignity, life and livelihood. She pointed out that the Rs. 6,000/- per annum promise by BJP is a hogwash and is nothing in comparison to the actual costs that farmers incur. She asserted that insurance must not be privatized and co-operatives must be in the hands of rural communities. She endorsed the need for immediate increase in NREGA wages.
While the INC Manifesto fares little better, it also falls short of the core demands of the historic farmers movement which witnessed the martyrdom of more than 750 farmers. She reiterated the need to struggle on the twin laws that the movement tried to pursue: Bill for Freedom from Debt and Bill for Fair and Remunerative Prices for all crops. Pointing to the mega-corporatization of the farming sector, she also questioned as to how can the Government of India can enter into huge agri-business deals with Govt of United States, while the Model Code of Conduct for elections is in vouge! India needs to have its own economic autonomy, with the small and marginal farmers and producers at the centre of decision-making and we cannot just be a market for the WTO, ‘first world nations’ or even for domestic corporates like Adanis and Ambanis !
Some of the speakers also observed that the manifestoes of some of the left parties such as CPM and CPI-ML (Liberation) etc reflected some of the demands, emerging from movements, indicating their association with people’s movements on the ground. However, other mainstream parties have either made cursory references to significant aspects, or remained silent on key issues or even took positions that do not benefit the agrarian communities, at large.
All speakers asserted that the National Alliance of Agrarian Communities / Rashtriya Kisani Manch shall continue to raise and organize on the many important issues of agrarian communities, regardless of which party assumes power after these elections. We are cognizant of the threats posed by the BJP to the Constitution and democracy and hence shall challenge it on ground and during the election period. We call upon all nature-based communities to unite, in order to defend our country from authoritarian rule, anti-agrarian policies and uphold the Constitution, democracy and our ecological commons.
A full recording of the session can be accessed at this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Ncs2FVy2fiEoJAX4OpaTl40uxjhizK8e/view
Contact: 9174181216 / 94522 32663 / 93263 49415 E-mail: napm...@gmail.com