New Delhi, Nov 27: Convener of National Alliance of People’s Movements Medha Patkar has pressed
the need for jan andolan (people’s movement) to bring about electoral reforms
that not only provide for state funding of elections but for minimum spending
by each candidate.
Such reforms should bring all candidates on a
single platform to spell out their agendas that are within the four corners of
democracy and adhere to the rights of people provided under the
Constitution.
'More importantly, the electoral reforms should provide for equal representation to women not just in Parliament and Legislatures but in every decision-making process,' she said.
Delivering here on Sunday the first Rabi Ray Memorial Lecture on “Jan Andolan and the Constitutional Vision”, she said it was not possible for anyone to win an election without using money and muscle power
and this was recognised by Rabi Ray, the former Speaker of Lok Sabha, who fought against it.
Ms Patkar said the Constitution provides for people’s right to liberty, equality, livelihood, health, food, education, freedom of speech, caste, religion and justice and the state is 'duty-bound” to uphold the Constitution.
“But when people’s rights are trampled upon, the executive fails to deliver and the judiciary doles out orders, not justice (as in Narmada dam issue), then people’s movements are well within the framework of the Constitution to make themselves heard against such violation of the Constitution. People’s movements (jan andolan) will emerge as a strong pillar of democracy, and the intelligentsia will have to stand by them.”
Giving the example of the recently held Kisan Sabha in New Delhi, she said farmers from all hues came together to raise their voice for debt waiver and higher remuneration price for their produce which was also the part of the NDA’s election manifesto but the polity reneged on its promise.
'The question to be asked is, that when farm production is going up, why are farmers still committing suicide?’’
She said it was only people’s movements that pushed back the POSCO multi-national company, Lavasa mega city and Singur projects that were taking away land and rights from peasants for few moneyed people and multi-national companies.
The rights of tribals, farmers etc. are well defined in PESA, Panchayati Raj Act, Land Acquisition Act of 2013,and the rights of Narmada dam displaced people are spelt out in the Narmada Water Dispute Tribunal’s (NWDT) award and Supreme Court Orders of 2000 and 2005, but in all such matters, in violation of the Constitution, the implementation is lacking.
'That is why today even as Narmada is drying up after the dam came up, villagers are yet to be rehabilitated. So what relief does the Supreme Court give against states: it tells state governments to give cash to people (in lieu of submerge of their land, livelihood), evict them and after that no more hearing and do not make this package a precedent! Is this not a violation of the Constitution and the Court’s own earlier Orders?' asked Ms Patkar.
The activist has led a non-violent Narmada Bachao Andolan for the last 30 years for the costs and benefits of the Sardar Sarovar Project and the rights of people uprooted by the mega project.
She said it was people’s movements that drove the World Bank from funding the Narmada dam project and it were their efforts that the amended Land Acquisition Act 2013 for proper rehabilitation and resettlement of people came about.
“But then, the government used to have dialogue with people’s movements. Now nobody is talking and nobody is listening,’’ she said.
Prof Muchkund Dubey of Council for Social Development said the Constitution is well endowed, but implementation is tardy. Convener of the programme Suhas Borkar said people should abandon sectarianism and walk together, while Sumit Chakraborty, Editor of Mainstream described Ms Patkar’s fight for social
justice as “epochal”.
On the occasion 2017 Goldman Environment Award winner Prafulla Samantara announced that the Rabi Ray Academy will honour a person every year for his/her exemplary work in social justice. This year’s winner is B P Rath from Odhisha. UNI
'More importantly, the electoral reforms should provide for equal representation to women not just in Parliament and Legislatures but in every decision-making process,' she said.
Delivering here on Sunday the first Rabi Ray Memorial Lecture on “Jan Andolan and the Constitutional Vision”, she said it was not possible for anyone to win an election without using money and muscle power
and this was recognised by Rabi Ray, the former Speaker of Lok Sabha, who fought against it.
Ms Patkar said the Constitution provides for people’s right to liberty, equality, livelihood, health, food, education, freedom of speech, caste, religion and justice and the state is 'duty-bound” to uphold the Constitution.
“But when people’s rights are trampled upon, the executive fails to deliver and the judiciary doles out orders, not justice (as in Narmada dam issue), then people’s movements are well within the framework of the Constitution to make themselves heard against such violation of the Constitution. People’s movements (jan andolan) will emerge as a strong pillar of democracy, and the intelligentsia will have to stand by them.”
Giving the example of the recently held Kisan Sabha in New Delhi, she said farmers from all hues came together to raise their voice for debt waiver and higher remuneration price for their produce which was also the part of the NDA’s election manifesto but the polity reneged on its promise.
'The question to be asked is, that when farm production is going up, why are farmers still committing suicide?’’
She said it was only people’s movements that pushed back the POSCO multi-national company, Lavasa mega city and Singur projects that were taking away land and rights from peasants for few moneyed people and multi-national companies.
The rights of tribals, farmers etc. are well defined in PESA, Panchayati Raj Act, Land Acquisition Act of 2013,and the rights of Narmada dam displaced people are spelt out in the Narmada Water Dispute Tribunal’s (NWDT) award and Supreme Court Orders of 2000 and 2005, but in all such matters, in violation of the Constitution, the implementation is lacking.
'That is why today even as Narmada is drying up after the dam came up, villagers are yet to be rehabilitated. So what relief does the Supreme Court give against states: it tells state governments to give cash to people (in lieu of submerge of their land, livelihood), evict them and after that no more hearing and do not make this package a precedent! Is this not a violation of the Constitution and the Court’s own earlier Orders?' asked Ms Patkar.
The activist has led a non-violent Narmada Bachao Andolan for the last 30 years for the costs and benefits of the Sardar Sarovar Project and the rights of people uprooted by the mega project.
She said it was people’s movements that drove the World Bank from funding the Narmada dam project and it were their efforts that the amended Land Acquisition Act 2013 for proper rehabilitation and resettlement of people came about.
“But then, the government used to have dialogue with people’s movements. Now nobody is talking and nobody is listening,’’ she said.
Prof Muchkund Dubey of Council for Social Development said the Constitution is well endowed, but implementation is tardy. Convener of the programme Suhas Borkar said people should abandon sectarianism and walk together, while Sumit Chakraborty, Editor of Mainstream described Ms Patkar’s fight for social
justice as “epochal”.
On the occasion 2017 Goldman Environment Award winner Prafulla Samantara announced that the Rabi Ray Academy will honour a person every year for his/her exemplary work in social justice. This year’s winner is B P Rath from Odhisha. UNI
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