People's Movements activism at Jantar Mantar, Delhi

Starting of August witnessed a massive gathering of people at JantarMantar representing different people's movements from different parts of India They all came under one banner to discuss common problems as well to fix strategy  to fight the machinery of state and big corporate houses under the leadership of people like Medha Patkar and Swami Agnivesh.

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  It also witnessed large number of participation of the woman folk from the remote parts of India.

Dr. Binayak Sen was also spotted there.He was in the capital for two days to express his support to the people's movements.Various speakers and representatives shared views on issues ranging from land acquisition in UP, Orissa and rajasthan  to the likes of future of proposed big dams in the northeast indian region

MCD's demolition of houses at Karol Bagh 14/A on july 28th 2011

On 29th july  Delhi municipal corporation evicted almost 15 families and demolished their houses at karolbagh on charges of being illegally established.A woman stands in front of the ruins of her house ,after the rains had stormed their temporary shelter made of plastic sheets, later that evening .

People in these allegedly illegal homes were staying there since pre independence period & many of them has no other place to go.

MCD, which decided to evict these families being illegal, itself violated Delhi Highcourt's recent ruling regarding provisions for forcibly evicted families

All of the evicted families belong to the lower casts ( Dalit) of hindu soiety.MCD took action after a RTI filed by a neighbouring family

According to Sukti Dhital of Human Rights Law Network (NGO) ,they appealed on the highcourt to put a stay order on the demolition.The hearing was on 29th july.But MCD took action a day before the hearing was scheduled.

Many of the evicted family had no other place nearby to shift their luggage. It lay there under the sun during the day, and got totally wet after the evening rains.

Absolutely no provision was made by  the authorities to provide even basic shelter, which is inclusive of anyone's human rights. Heavy rains came by the evening and people stayed on the road without a roof with their belongings.Many of their electronic goods got spoiled due to rain on the first night itself

They are fighting a legal battle which even they know is difficult to win .

Slut Walk- The Delhi Version

 
     On july 31st delhi witnessed it's first ever slut walk or "besharmi morcha" , as called by it's organisers. A    chain protest event after tornonto and other cities of europe, Slut Walk denounces the idea that women provoke men and invite trouble with their attire. It all started when a toronto police constable Michael Sanguinetti made a remark " women shouldnot dress like sluts". Protest marches called 'Slut walk's followed almost worldwide.We saw the desi version of it at Jantar Mantar. Though the basic idea behind this walk was to encourage more women participation,We spotted more men and some women ( most of whom had too conservative clothing for a slut walk ).The event also witnessed almost equal number of photographers and media persons as the participants.It felt the media was more exicted to be there than the participants.Nobody could find the much hyped sensationalism, as it couldnot take the ultra feminist turn, that it took in the west. They were seen desperately looking for a women who would actually dare participating in small clothes and show off their bodies.The skimpiest clothing ever noticed during the whole march was a tank top or a skirt ( perhaps due to the rumour that some right wing activist might intervene and try to stop the protest & decided to keep it minimal).Many feared that the local folks might pervert the message they are trying to send. Infact that happened on the venue of the protest itself when we saw people who barely got any relation to media or photography taking pictures of participating girls.They didnot get the point at all. It seems that whatever definition of modernity and progressiveness we have, we have to accept the fact that most of the major cities of India are still not ready for a protest which is so on the face like a slut walk, let alone villages and small towns. It proves the fact, that we cannot just ape anything from the west and try to apply it in the indian context. The organisers could have gone for a different pattern of action other than a slut walk which is equally affective and spread their message of respecting women and equal opportunity  for them to live life as men,to common Indians. Most of the participants and organisers belonged to an english speaking, educated middleclass to upper middle class society and a metro city based feminists.I dont think anybody would have problems with other people regarding their attire within such a group of people and in places where these kind of people regularly dwell.The walk and it's message got  limited to a niche who already possess such ideas.It should  have gone beyond facebook and twitter users who actually needs to inculcate such ideas.Try organizing something of this sort in trans jamuna or badarpur or any such area for that matter.I think they would face some real good problems without administration or any other moral police interfering.

      However it was somewhat better than the bhopal slut walk which saw not more than 150/200 participants. When more than 200 cases of rape and sexual molestation have been registered in UP this year till this time and Madhya Pradesh has taken the first position in sexual molestation cases (after delhi,the rape capital),the kind of message these young people were trying to send is of immense importance and in line with current condition of general mentality.It was aptly there in the old english saying "A man who comments on women's clothes never pays the bill for it". But the organisers should ponder if Slut walk or besharmi morcha is the answer for it. What are we aiming at, propogating a trendy event or spreading the message. We have to look for ways that are more effective,widespread and easily acceptable to common indian spirit. Whatever progress we make in the economic sphere or in terms of science and technology or knowledge of different cultures,rural India is still the real India.Our achivements has no practical all encompassing value untill & unless it reaches the small towns & villages.