Leaders "ignoring" tribal, Dalit, other marginal farmers' cause in fight against land acquisition ordinance

Ashok Shrimali with Achyut Yagnik

By Our Representative
A senior activist of Gujarat, Ashok Shrimali, has created a stir in a closed-door Gujarat farmer leaders' consultation in Ahmedabad at Khet Bhawan, next to Gandhi Ashram, saying that tribal, Dalit and other marginalised community farmers' plight was being "summarily ignored" by those seeking to fight against the "retrograde" land acquisition ordinance. Shrimali said, this is happening despite the fact that they know it is these farmers who will suffer the most because of the recent Government of India ordinance, which has done away with social impact assessment and consent clauses.
"This is more true of Gujarat than other states", the senior activist, who is with Setu Centre for Social Action and Knowledge, headed by well-known veteran activist-academic Achyut Yagnik, said. "See how farmers' organizations are taking up the marginalized communities' interests elsewhere. Only recently, in Sundargarh in Odisha, the tribal farmers held a strong agitation blockading Rourkela, which houses the steel plant, after the state government declared its intention to acquire their land for larger urban area."
Shrimali further said, "There are tribal farmers' organizations in Gujarat, who are actually leading a tough fight for their cause. One of them is Adivasi Kisan Sangharsh Morcha, led by Romel Sutariya, and another is Adivasi Ekta Parishad led by Ashok Chowdhury. Both are based in South Gujarat. But I don't see any of them here, though they are quite strong in their areas." He added, "Unfortunately, in Gujarat's farmers' fights, only well-to-do farmers' interests are being guarded."
While the senior activist's view was strongly supported by veteran economist Prof Rohit Shukla, called at the consultation as a resource person, it came against the backdrop of Aam Admi Party (AAP) leader and ex-BJP MLA Kanubhai Kalsaria's proposal that farmers across India should celebrate Holi this time by “burning copies of the land acquisition ordinance”. The proposal was immediately accepted as an important step against the Government of India's latest "development" agenda. In all, 50-odd farmer leaders, activists and activists participated at the consultation.
Speaking at the consultation, giving a background of how the ordinance would affect the rural people, farmer leader Sagar Rabari pointing towards the "dangers ahead", saying, “Industrial corridors across India are being thrown open for land acquisition. In Gujarat, according to our calculation, more than 60 per cent of the area would be covered under the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, which would be declared open for land acquisition without people's consent and social impact assessment.”

Aruna Roy

Protest rally in Delhi

Meanwhile, several people's organizations from across India took out what they called a “citizens' march for peace, justice and democracy” in Delhi, “pledging” to struggle against the recent “attack” on Gandhi’s values, even as highlighting how the latest land acquisition ordinance would undermine people's rights. A National Alliance of People's Movement (NAPM) statement, issued after the march, said, it was meant to “remind the present political regime how the actions taken by them in the name of ‘development’ are murdering Gandhi’s ideals of truth, peace, justice and democracy.”
Those who participated included former National Advisory Council member Aruna Roy, Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar, and well-known academic and Aam Admi Party leader Yogendra Yadav. The NAPM said, “On one hand, majoritarian politics of hate and intolerance is increasing communal divide in the country, and on the other, the neo-liberal economic agenda and corporate loot are snatching away hard earned laws, rights and precious resources from the people.”
It added, “One after the other, ordinances are being passed without any space for dialogue, debate and dissent, undermining not just Parliament but also the constitutional and democratic spirit of this country.” The march started at the Shaheed Bhagat Singh statue and ended at Rajghat.
Speaking on the occasiion, Aruna Roy said, the real freedom for the poor and the marginalized in this country has been undermined. “On one hand Prime Minister Narendra Modi wears a suit worth Rs 10 lakh, and on the other, there is omission of words ‘socialist’ and ‘secular’ in the Republic Day advertisement.”
Yogendra Yadav said, “The very soul of Gandhi, secularism, is now being attacked and we must resist that.”
Medha Patkar pointed out how Gandhi's dream of an India “where villages and communities would survive and thrive and live together in harmony” was being ignored, adding, instead, "politics of hate and fundamentalism” was being promoted. At the same time, there is “wholesale transfer of land, water, forests and minerals to corporations through a slew of ordinances.”

Comments

Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan raises concerns over Jharkhand Adivasis' plight in Assam, BJP policies

By Our Representative The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan (Save Democracy Campaign) has issued a pressing call to protect Adivasi rights in Jharkhand, highlighting serious concerns over the treatment of Jharkhandi Adivasis in Assam. During a press conference in Ranchi on November 9, representatives from Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh criticized the current approach of BJP-led governments in these states, arguing it has exacerbated Adivasi struggles for rights, land, and cultural preservation.

Promoting love or instilling hate and fear: Why is RSS seeking a meeting with Rahul Gandhi?

By Ram Puniyani* India's anti-colonial struggle was marked by a diverse range of social movements, one of the most significant being Hindu-Muslim unity and the emergence of a unified Indian identity among people of all religions. The nationalist, anti-colonial movement championed this unity, best embodied by Mahatma Gandhi, who ultimately gave his life for this cause. Gandhi once wrote, “The union that we want is not a patched-up thing but a union of hearts... Swaraj (self-rule) for India must be an impossible dream without an indissoluble union between the Hindus and Muslims of India. It must not be a mere truce... It must be a partnership between equals, each respecting the religion of the other.”

Right-arm fast bowler who helped West Indies shape arguably greatest Test team in cricket history

By Harsh Thakor* Malcolm Marshall redefined what it meant to be a right-arm fast bowler, challenging the traditional laws of biomechanics with his unique skill. As we remember his 25th death anniversary on November 4th, we reflect on the legacy he left behind after his untimely death from colon cancer. For a significant part of his career, Marshall was considered one of the fastest and most formidable bowlers in the world, helping to shape the West Indies into arguably the greatest Test team in cricket history.

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

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

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

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

Andhra team joins Gandhians to protest against 'bulldozer action' in Varanasi

By Rosamma Thomas* November 1 marked the 52nd day of the 100-day relay fast at the satyagraha site of Rajghat in Varanasi, seeking the restoration of the 12 acres of land to the Sarva Seva Sangh, the Gandhian organization that was evicted from the banks of the river. Twelve buildings were demolished as the site was abruptly taken over by the government after “bulldozer” action in August 2023, even as the matter was pending in court.

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

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

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

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

Green Revolution’s reliance on chemical fertilizers, pesticides contributing to Punjab's health crisis

By Bharat Dogra, Jagmohan Singh* Punjab was once synonymous with robust health, particularly in its rural areas, where farmers were known for their strength and vitality. However, in recent years, reports from these villages tell a different story, with rising cases of serious health issues, including cancer. What led to this decline? The answer lies largely in the erosion of good nutrition, once a hallmark of Punjabi village life. The health of a population is closely tied to its nutrition, and Punjab's reputation as a provider of high-quality nutrition has suffered greatly. The loss of biodiversity in agriculture has led to a decrease in the variety and quality of crops, resulting in poorer nutrition. Pulses, a key source of protein, have seen a steep decline in cultivation due to the disruption of traditional farming practices by the Green Revolution. This has had a detrimental effect on both soil and human health. Although pulses are still available in the market, they are exp

Tributes paid to pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, who 'dodged' police for 60 yrs

By Harsh Thakor* Jagjit Singh Sohal, known as Comrade Sharma, a pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, passed away on October 20 at the age of 96. Committed to the Naxalite cause and a prominent Maoist leader, Sohal, who succeeded Charu Majumdar, played hide and seek with the police for almost six decades. He was cremated in Patiala.

Search This Blog