JAN SANSAD Begins with Elan in Mumbai Challenges Political, Social, and Economic Corruption and Uneven Urban and Rural Development
Delegates from 15 States and Thousands from Mumbai Challenge the Uneven Urban and Rural Development
Mumbai, March 4: Amidst the numerous scams, rampant corruption in all walks of public life, high inflation and an unholy alliance of politicians, business tycoons and bureaucracy JAN SANSAD began today here at Aangan Lawns, Near Deonar Bus Stand, Mumbai. Jan Sansad is being held across the country in order to establish people’s politics to address the uneven development, growing corruption and the loot of natural resoucres across the country. Jan Saansads / People’s Parliamentraisn and Delegates from 15 States are participating in the Jan Sansad and nearly 5,000 people from different bastis, slums and localities are particiapting to assert their right to the city, MUMBAI – A City of Hope and Dreams.
The Inaugural Session was presided over by Justice Rajinder Sachar (Retd), Justice Suresh, Nasreen Bano, Swami Agnivesh and Sister Celia. In addition to these Medha Patkar, NAPM; Dr. Banwari Lal Sharma, Azadi Bachao Andolan; Ulka Mahajan Maharshtra;, Dr. Shamsher Singh Bisht, Uttarakhand Vahini; Gautam Bandopadhyay, Chattisgarh; NAPM, Amarnath Bhai, UP; Prafulla Samantara, Orissa; Ashok Choudhary, Uttar Pradesh; Vivekanand Mathne, Maharahstra; Gabriele Dietrich, Tamilnadu; Maj Gen. Sudhir Vombatkere, Karnataka; Bharat, Andhra Pradesh; P T Hussain, Kerala; Rakesh Rafiq, J P Singh, Uttar Pradesh; Bhupender Rawat, Rajendra Ravi, Karan Singh, Ajit Jha, Delhi; Harpal Singh Rana, Haryana and many others.
From Mumbai many prominent citizens and activists will join over the two daysSadashiv Amrapurkar, Bhai Vaidya, Y P Singh, Anand Patwardhan, Pratima Joshi, S Parasuraman, Pushpa Bhave, Nandita Shah and many others will join too.
In the background of the Adarsh Scam, Lavasa Township, Hiranandani as well as Shivalik and other Builders’ Scandals being exposed by NAPM, this Jan Sansad gives an opportunity to thousands of urban poor and middle class people to exert the rights to land, housing, food, water and other services as well as equitable, sustainable progress. With no concessions to be granted to corporate and privatised state – its corrupt politicians, bureaucrats in nexus with the builders and companies – people are in a mood to fight for the laws and policies that will give them politico economic space, social dignity and livelihood security. Jan Sansad began with the llightining of the lamp by various delegates and Jan Saansads with the slogan of Ladenge and Jeentenge (We shall Fight ! We shall Win !)
Jan Sansad over two days will focus on the issues of equity and accessibility to the resources like food, water, housing, employment, health, education for everyone who lives in the city and not for few who pocket the maximum resources. A blueprint for modern cities will be evolved which will secure dignity for everyone and not at the cost of livelihoods of those who build and run the city – the working class. Lavasa and Adarsh Society can’t be the future of cities and urbanisation in a country where 70 percent of people still live in villages and survive on less than a dollar a day.
Jan Sansadis the process aimed at bringing together of struggling masses, their concerns, establishment of the people’s power and paving the way for complete transformation of public life.
Madhuresh Kumar, Gautam Bandopahdyay, Vivekanand Mathne for Jan Sansad
Simpreet Singh, Vivek Pandit, Suniti S R, Medha Patkar (Contact 9969530060 / 9818905316)