Support and Solidarity Campaign Yatra

An Appeal for Support and Solidarity Campaign Yatra for Right to Work, Food Sovereignty and Effective Access to Information

Dates: 4-18 October 2006

From Dabhra to Janjgir, Chhattigarh

Friends and Comrades,

Right to Work is an issue that had been ignored for long. Although there are closely defined constitutional articles, it is not included as a fundamental right of the people. After longing struggle for the right to work as a fundamental right, the partial law being passed by the government of India is the NREGA. But this neither fulfils the people's demand for Right to Work nor addressed the issue to its core. It is only a relief effort. Although it gives some relief to the poor and oppressed sections, the relief being provided under this Act don't address the issue in its depth. Further the position that one could live with the support of 100 days of employment or 6000/- is not adequate. It is even less than 20% of the needs of a family.

Secondly right to work is related with the aspect of food sovereignty since food sovereignty in its real sense is people's right to work of their choice. This means that Chhattisgarh being agriculture based state, Right to Work is to cultivate and produce essential food grains. But then there are severe questions such as land holding pattern, land rights, right to water and irrigation, right to crops and cultivation, equitable and ethical food, water availability and usage, agriculture and production pattern, access to non-agricultural means of livelihood, right over forest resources, labour resources, dignity of labour, access to market, benefits of the government programs and schemes and last but not the least ensuring freedom and dignity from all sorts of feudal bondage. In broader terms, food sovereignty goes beyond the common concept of food security, which merely seeks to ensure that a sufficient amount of safe food is produced without taking into account the kind of food produced and how, where and on what scale it is produced. It encompasses of sustainability and sustainable development practices.

Thus Right to Work is not just limited to get work but at large relates to the development of harmonious and healthy relation between people, community, resources and state. These aspects have never been thought of by anyone at any level.

The state cannot just turn it back to the people in any such form; hence we need to make it accountable towards the common masses. And this is where the relevance of the Right to Information is the utmost important. All efforts to curb this law should be opposed by the masses. Recently the Central Cabinet passed the amendments to maim this law, which is very dangerous. If this gets through, then the information will neither be provided nor would the information given have any validity. What is needed is the effective implementation of RTI. Hence this yatra is to raise the public awareness on these aspects along with initiating a public debate on these aspects. Through this people will be able to understand it from its roots and also take stand on it. The idea is to bring this into the larger public domain through the direct interaction with the people, organising public meetings, cultural troop, meetings at the village level, media mobilisation, signature collection on this aspect, giving memorandum to the President of India and so on.

There could be immense pressure on other similar groups and movement to initiate and demand for Right to Work as Fundamental Right and the Right to Food Sovereignty and Proper implementation of Right to Information.

Right to work is should be included as a fundamental right, since it is the right of every citizen. Right to livelihood is not properly defined in the constitution. Hence it is vital that this understanding should be properly inscribed as part of the larger understanding. It is also essential since the concept of welfare state is that of the state should take the responsibility of its citizens in non- bifurcated holistic manner. Therefore it is the responsibility of the state to provide essential employment to its citizens.

Our Demands

In the context of the arisen context, we are taking out the yatra with the following demands –

1. Include Right to Work as a fundamental right

2. Implement Right to Food Sovereignty instead of right to food security

3. Effectively implement Right to Information Act.

4. Include all districts of Chhattisgarh under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

5. Initiate proper land reforms to provide land to all landless.

6. Provide annual scholarship of Rs. 1000/- to all deprived students from Std 1-5.

7. Avail the benefits of the government schemes, projects and programs to at least 10 individuals in each panchayat every year.

8. Link up a minimum of two SHG groups in every panchayat annually with the government schemes, projects and programs of income generation.

9. The present BPL list is only an eyewasher, so we demand for the resurvey of the BPL and include all people who are really poor in that list.

The Yatra Plan

Yatra will begin on 4th October from Dabhra block headquarters in Janjgir and will end in Janjgir with a mass rally. 50 cycle yatris will continuously be in the yatra from the beginning till the end. However many others will join the yatra in between and will remain till specific points. All the yatris will assemble with their bicycles on 3 rd evening around 4 pm at Dabhra.

Janjgir being one of the Dalit pockets in Chhattisgarh, it is essential that we raise the voice from the belly of marginalised. This district has a long history of betrayal and negligence by the state authorities for long. The complete yatra details are given below.

Date Place Time Program Details

4/10/06 Dabhra 11 am – 3 pm Public Meeting
Flagging of the yatra
-do- Khaira 5 pm – 6 pm Meeting
-do- Chote Katekoni 7 pm onwards Meeting
Night halt

5/10/06 Kansa 10.30 am – 12 pm Meeting
-do- Kawaripalli 2 pm – 3.30 pm Cultural Performance
Meeting
-do- Nimohi 5 pm – 5.30 pm Cultural Performance
Meeting
-do- Singitarai 7 pm onwards Meeting
Night halt

6/10/06 Phagurum 12 pm – 2.30 pm Cultural Performance
Meeting
-do- Charoda 4 pm – 5.30 pm Cultural Performance
Meeting
-do- Adbhar 7 pm onwards Meeting
Night halt

7/10/06 Sakti 11 am – 3 pm Public rally
Public meeting in front of Tehsil office
-do- Sakarra 4 pm – 5.30 pm Meeting
-do- Mohatara 7 pm onwards Meeting
Night halt

8/10/06 Malkharoda 11 am – 3 pm Public meeting in front of block office
-do- Khurda 4 pm – 6 pm Meeting
-do- Pirda 7 pm onwards Meeting
Night halt

9/10/06 Narihara/Mudpar 11 am – 2 pm Cultural Performance
Meeting
-do- Jharap 4 pm – 6.30 pm Meeting
-do- Nangaridih 7 pm onwards Cultural Performance
Meeting
Night halt

10/10/06 Sendri 11.30 am – 2 pm Cultural Performance
Meeting
-do- Parsadih 3.30 pm – 4.30 pm Meeting
-do- Oidekara 5pm – 6 pm Meeting
-do- Behradih 7 pm onwards Cultural Performance
Meeting
Night halt

11/10/06 Jayjaypur 11 am – 3 pm Public meeting
-do- Darrabhatta 5 pm – 6 pm Meeting
-do- Rajamukta 7 pm onwards Meeting
Cultural Performance
Night halt

12/10/06 Parsapali 11 am – 12 pm Welcome of yatris
Meeting
-do- Choria 12.30 pm – 4 pm Welcome of yatris
Meeting
-do- Bhaureli 5.30 onwards Cultural Performance
Meeting
Night halt

13/10/06 Bamindih 11 am – 3 pm Public meeting
-do- Kera 6 pm onwards Meeting
Cultural Performance
Night halt

14/10/06 Kharodh 11.30 am – 2 pm Public meeting
-do- Ringni/Kukda 2.30 pm – 3 pm Welcome meet of yatris
-do- Salkhan 5.30 onwards Public meeting
Cultural Performance
Night halt

15/10/06 Bilari 10.30 am – 11 pm Welcome meet of yatris
-do- Pakaria 11.30 am – 12.30 pm Welcome meet of yatris
Brief meeting
-do- Kodabhat 1 pm – 4 pm Public meeting
Cultural Performance
-do- Mekri 6 pm – 6.30 pm Welcome of yatris
-do- Bhilauni 7 pm onwards Public meeting
Cultural Performance
Night halt

16/10/06 Rojindih 11 am – 12 pm Welcome meet of yatris
Brief meeting
-do- Pamgarh 1 pm – 4 pm Rally
Public meeting
Cultural Performance
Night halt

17/10/06 Kutrabod 11 am – 12 pm Welcome of yatris
Brief meeting
-do- Mudpar 1.30 pm – 2.30 pm Welcome of yatris
Brief meeting
-do- Khokra 3.30 pm – 5.30 pm Welcome of yatris
Brief meeting
Cultural performance
-do- Janjgir 6 pm Enter Janjgir
Welcome at different places
Brief meetings
Night halt

18/10/06 -do- 11 am – 3 pm Rally
Public meeting
Signed Memorandum to be submitted to the Collector, Janjgir addressing
The President of India
Yatra comes to an end

At the night halt points there would be the night meals as well as the morning food. Everyone will depart from the village exactly at 10 am after finishing the food and other aspects. At many places on the way there would be lunch or tea and snacks or some refreshment arrangements based on the day's schedule.

Express your Solidarity

We appeal to all organisations, movements, groups, individuals, professional, etc. to join this yatra and express your support and solidarity. Also we take this opportunity to appeal to all of you to contribute to the expenses of this yatra. The total estimated budget of this yatra is approximately 173000/- (approx. USD 4000) Your support and contribution is very much needed. For any further information please write or call us or email us to the below mentioned address

Goldy M. George

(On behalf of Organising Committee)

Organised By

Dalit Mukti Morcha, Chhattisgarh Mahila Jagriti Sanghatan, INAG – Chhattisgarh, Sahyatri Centre, Dalit Sewa Samiti, SIRSA, Chhattisgarh Mazdoor Kishan Sanghatan, Chhattisgarh Mahila Samaj Sudhar Samiti, Chhattisgarh Nav Jagran Samiti, National Coordination of Democratic Forces – Chhattisgarh, Dalit Study Circle

Contact Address:

Karbala Para, Behind State Bank of Indore, G.E. Road, Raipur-492001, Chhattisgarh, India.
Contact No: +91-771-4024662, +91-7757-233997, +91-94255-42681 +91-98931-37911
Contact Email: dalitmuktimorcha@gmail.com dalitstudycircle@yahoo.com