Times
of India: Bhim (Rajsamand): Saturday, 02 May 2015.
Social
activist Aruna Roy slammed central and state government for its anti-farmer and
anti-labour policies. She hits out at the slogan 'Achhe Din Aaenge' (Good days
will come) by saying, "Good days are yet to come for the poor, farmers and
labourers, though it has come only for corporate and politicians."
Roy, while
addressing over 2,000 villagers at the celebration of 25 years of Mazdoor Kisan
Sakhti Sangathan in Bhim of Rajsamand district, announced to launch a
nationwide series of public protest against the anti-poor policies of central
government.
Referring to
the victimization of social activists and whistle blowers, Roy accused the Modi
government for conspiring against the people's groups and social activists who
are keeping a check on them.
"Those
(NGOs, bureaucrats and individuals) who expose the government's malpractices
are being targeted by fringe elements and the government has often termed them
as 'anti-nationals'," said Roy.
In the midst
of confidence building songs and hymns, she explained the negative implications
of Land Acquisition Bill to the farmers in one line -"They will take away
your land forcibly at a price they decide and they have already allotted
hundreds of acres of forest land to the corporation." When she asked the
villagers if they will oppose it, she received a roaring response of 'yes we
will' from the audience.
Beating the
hot and humid climate, villagers from across the state and Mazdoor Kisan Shakti
Sangathan volunteers from Delhi and Kolkata also attended the program.
Questioning
Prime Minister Narendra Modi over transparency and accountability, Roy shared
that they had filed an RTI in the PMO seeking details of the minutes of the
meeting held for the appointment of Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) which
the office had denied us saying that they don't have the record of meeting.
Roy started
her address while taking on Raje government for bringing changes in labour laws
and making them friendlier to the corporate and businessmen. "Raje had
written to the central government for closing down MGNREGA which indicates
their anti-poor mindset. She had also struck down the number of free medicines under
the free medicine scheme and also reduced the ambit to only BPL families,"
said Roy.
Another
founder member, Nikil Dey, shared a strategy applicable in the near future on
exposing the government's failure in implementing Right to Education Act-2009.
"We will
be taking on the government by filling Right to Information Act in each
government school to find out details like enrollments, pupil-teacher ratio,
teachers, toilets, library, school management committees, playgrounds, boundary
walls etc," said Dey who expressed his serious concern over the declining
number of enrollments in the government schools over private ones.
In a
resolution passed by the MKSS, it was announced that they will push the state
government to bring everyone in the ambit of free medicine scheme from just BPL
families at present. To counter the state government amended labour laws which
don't allows labourers to form unions, the MKSS will form unions across the
state.
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