First National Convention of Jan Ekta Jan Adhikaar Andolan
The first National Convention of Jan Ekta Jan Adhikaar Andolan comprising of Left and Democratic Mass, Class and Social Movements was held at Mavalankar Hall, New Delhi on 18th September, 2017. The Convention adopted a resolution placed by Hannan Mollah, General Secretary AIKS and a Charter of Demands proposed by Atul Kumar Anjaan, General Secretary of AIKS (Ajoy Bhavan). Vikram Singh, General Secretary SFI welcomed the gathering and Amarjeet Kaur, General Secretary, AITUC explained the idea behind the Convention. Kavitha Krishnan, AIPWA General Secretary seconded the resolution.
Resolution of Jan Ekta Jan Adhikaar Andolan
Jan Ekta Jan Adhikar Jan Pratirodh
This national convention of class, mass and social movements, being held in Mavlankar Hall in New Delhi on 18th September 2017
Expresses grave concern at the attacks by Modi led BJP government at the centre on the hard won rights of all sections of the toiling people and on the secular fabric of the country. It came to power promising ‘Acche Din’ (Good Times): freedom from price rise, corruption and violence against women; employment generation and ‘sabka saath sabka vikas’ (Inclusive development for all). But, during it’s more than 3 years rule, the Modi led BJP government has been achieving just the opposite. In addition to betraying its promises, it is attacking the rights achieved by the people through hard struggles and fostering a climate of violence against minorities, oppressed sections, and dissenting voices. The latest victim of this climate of organised hate-mongering and violence is the journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh.
Notes that corruption is being institutionalised, including foreign and domestic corporate funding for political parties, and crony capitalism.
Expresses its dismay at sharp rise of 42% in the number of farmers’ suicides during 2014 – 2015, one in every 30 minutes; and the large number of hunger deaths in different parts of the country. Instead of implementing its poll promise of minimum support price as per Swaminathan Committee recommendations, the BJP government meets farmers’ demands of MSP and loan waiver with bullets and killings as was witnessed in Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh. At the same time, bad loans of wilful corporate defaulters amounting to more than Rs 1.91 lakh crores were written off during 3 financial year of Modi regime with a record Rs.81, 683 crores in 2016-17 alone. FDI and corporatisation of agriculture through contract farming are being vigorously pursued with insurance companies profiteering in the name of crop insurance. Large scale displacement and dispossession of rural poor is taking place through forcible land acquisition without proper rehabilitation and resettlement. The Forest Rights Act is not being implemented and Adivasis and other forest dwellers are being evicted; the CNT/SPT Acts protecting adivasi right to land are being diluted. Agricultural workers are being pauperised in absence of jobs, minimum wages and social security; and due to cuts in fund allocation, absence of adequate job and delayed payment in MNREGA.
Notes with alarm the deteriorating employment situation belying the promise of 2 crore jobs every year. In 3 years of Modi led BJP rule it is not just a job-less economy, but in reality a job-loss economy: Government’s labour bureau statistics show that employment in 8 major labour intensive sectors plummeted to the lowest in 8 years; only 2.31 lakh new jobs were created in these sectors in the 9 months ending in December 2016. According to the 5th annual employment unemployment survey of the labour bureau, around 77% households in the country had no regular wage / salaried person. The job crisis and resulting distress amongst the common people has been rendered considerably worse by the huge adverse impact of demonetisation and GST, as well as increasing bank charges, and Aadhar linkage for social welfare benefits.
Further Notes that, in the name of ‘Make in India’ and ‘Ease of Doing Business’ , corporates, both domestic and foreign, are being invited to exploit our country’s resources, including oil, gas and other natural resources as well as India’s workers. Laws to protect the environment are being diluted or openly violated. Labour laws are being amended brazenly favouring employers, snatching away the hard-earned rights of the workers including the right to organise, to do collective bargaining and claim social security benefits. Workers’ lives, their safety, health and livelihood are sought to be left to the mercy of the greedy corporates.
Noted with Concern the massive drive for privatisation of our national wealth through disinvestment, outright sale and strategic sale of the public sector. Despite all talk of nationalism, even strategic and key sectors like defence, railways, banks, insurance, BHEL and others are sought to be handed over to the foreign and domestic corporates. Rapid decline in human development indices are a serious concern. There is a sharp decline and commercialisation of health and education as has been revealed in mass killing of children in Gorakhpur hospital.
Expresses its outrage at the growing attacks on dalits and minorities during the last 3 years; there have been organised attacks on dalits in Una in Gujarat, Saharanpur in UP and in several other places. Lynch mobs of so called ‘gau rakshaks’ have been attacking and killing Muslims on the pretext of ‘beef eating’. Legal cattle traders carrying all necessary documents are also not being spared. The bans and restrictions on cattle trade have hit the livelihoods of lakhs of people, particularly dalits and minorities and other poorer sections in the country.
Condemns the brutal state repression and custodial violence unleashed on adivasis in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Jharkhand and on the people of Kashmir; and the ongoing attempts to impose the Hindi language on the people of Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Assam and other non-Hindi peoples.
Condemns the substantial shift in the country’s independent foreign policy to embrace US imperialism and condone Israel’s colonial and racist occupation of Palestine.
Condemns the government’s apathy in controlling spiralling price rise particularly of essential commodities like vegetables, dal, etc affecting common people with deterioration of public distribution system. Instead of reducing petrol, diesel and cooking gas prices following decline of oil prices in the international market, the government has decided to increase price of LPG every month until the subsidy is totally eliminated and hand in hand with corporate houses plunder the people by hiking the domestic price of petrol and diesel every day. Increasing futures trading and commodity exchange are adversely impacting on the availability and prices of essential commodities.
Condemns the retrograde patriarchal attitudes being promoted by the communal fascist forces patronised by BJP Governments. These forces have unleashed a virtual war on women’s autonomy. These regressive attitudes are also reinforced by employers – including Governments as well as Indian and transnational corporations which use them as a tool to exploit and discipline women workers. The ruling party is promoting a political culture which unleashes abuse against outspoken women in public life and which seeks to trivialise violence against women, protect the culprits, and blame the victims.
Condemns all out attacks on the freedom of expression and protest under the BJP regime. Dissent against government policies, opposition to the fundamentalist ideology of the RSS are being equated to being ‘anti national’. Student activists, Universities with a progressive outlook, and rational thinkers are being attacked while regressive retrograde and unscientific ideas are being promoted. There is increasing communalisation of educational institutions, slashing of research seats and reduction in budget allocation for education.
Recalls the immense sacrifices made by the people of our country, our forefathers, who fought the British colonialism and achieved independence 70 years ago. They visualised an Independent India with an egalitarian society where all its citizens can lead an equal and dignified life irrespective of their caste, creed or gender. Today, the fundamental rights and freedoms, guaranteed by our Constitution to all our citizens, are being subjected to worst ever attack by the present BJP led government. There is shrinking of democratic spaces and increasing RSS ideology and personnel penetration in different spheres including educational institutions.
Extends support to the rapidly growing countrywide united trade unions and peasants struggles and calls for joint solidarity actions.
In such a situation, this convention calls upon:
– All left, democratic, secular, rational, progressive and broad minded people to come together to reclaim our country and our democracy; and
– Unite to fight back these fascistic, authoritarian and autocratic elements and the divisive ideology that guides them; and
Decides to:
Hold similar conventions with more broader participation in state capitals, district headquarters and at lower levels to propagate the issues and united actions; and
Organise united people’s ‘Jan Ekta Mashal’ assembly / procession with Mashal / candle light on 30 October, 2017 in districts / lower levels in widest areas across the country.
– Organising Committee –
Jan Ekta Jan Adhikar Andolan
