NAGPUR: After mega success of anti-corruption drive led by Gandhian Anna Hazare, the activists of India Against Corruption (IAC) and other organizations would now be conducting ‘National Jan Sansad (People’s Parliament)’ in Delhi from March 19-23 with corruption as main theme.
“Today we have finalized the dates of this national meet where over 500 delegates from different social organizations fighting against injustice will participate along with 5,000 people from across the country,” social activist Medha Patkar told reporters on Monday. Other activists including Sunilam Suniti, Gautam Bandopadhyay, Vilas Bhongade, Manish Gupta, Gabriele Dietrich, Bhupinder Singh Rawat, and Gunwant Singh accompanied her.
Lokshakti Abhiyan held in city concluded at Sarvodaya Ashram of Vinoba Vichar Kendra where activists from 12 states participated under Patkar and decided to hold this mega conference during parliament’s budget session. “Activists working on land rights, anti-corruption, mining, SEZs and from other people’s movements across the country have pledged to join Jan Sansad in large number to take a step towards a true people’s democracy,” she said.
Patkar, who is also on Team Anna’s core committee, said Anna’s movement had mobilized the young generation of the country and the momentum should be kept going. “During first day, there will be discussion on Lokshakti campaign at three locations in the capital. On second day, discussion on key issues on the agenda would take place while on concluding day Jan Sansad resolution would be adopted, to be followed by protest march on Parliament,” she added.
“Like farmers of Vidarbha who are committing suicides, people from all over country are suffering due to faulty policies that favour the companies while suppressing the poor, Dalits and other marginalized sections. We want equality across all sections,” Patkar asserted. She said the activists were in favour of taking permission from Gram Sabha and Basti Sabha before any project like dams was sanctioned by the government.
She earlier visited Brahmapuri in Chandrapur district and other villages in Bhandara and discussed various problems being faced by the villagers, including project-affected persons (PAPS) of Gosikhurd dam.