‘Unannounced jail’ for 25,000 protestors
New Delhi: After having walked all the distance from Gwalior to Delhi, covering more than 300 km in about little less than four weeks, thousands of people met with utter disappointment.
More than 25,000 landless and displaced tribals and dalits from as many as 15 states of India are camping at Ramlila Ground in old Delhi since last night. They are all part of the Janadesh (People’s verdict) rally demanding a national land reform policy. They were to walk up to Parliament but a large contingent of Delhi Police, posted in and around the ground, did not allow them to step out. “We have not heard anything from the government so far. We are being prevented from marching even up to Jantar Mantar. This is an insult to the people who have come all the way to Delhi for their voices to be heard by the government,” said P.V. Rajagopal of Ekta Parishad, clearly anguished at the insensitivity of the Central Government. Magsaysay award winner Rajinder Singh of Jal Biradiri was also peeved at the callousness of the government, saying that this government has “converted the Ramlila Maidan into an unannounced jail. You can see this large mass of people here. They are tired, hungry and thirsty and yet the government is least bothered. When the government is fearful of its own people, it uses the police as a shield.”
Celebrating a centenary of Satyagrah by this government is nothing but sheer hypocrisy, if it fails to pay heed to a nonviolent and peaceful movement like this. It is this kind of treatment that compels the peace-loving people resort to violence, said he. Earlier addressing the rally, Udit Raj of India Justice Party, castigated the government by saying that had this movement been given a casteist angle, this government would have responded and would have conceded to the demands by now. Because in that case it would have suited their combinations and permutations of vote bank politics. He further added that the government could also have been compelled to respond, if the movement had used violent means to press for their demands. “There is no other path for any meaningful development in this country unless land is distributed among the people who need it most,” he said. Union Minister for Human Resources Development, Arjun Singh perhaps knew better about the nonchalant attitude within his own government when last week, while addressing a gathering of intellectuals, he had remarked: “Everyone is trying not to come face to face with these people. We cannot just dismiss them saying that they are here to disturb the tranquility of the capital. They will continue to pester, till you give up or give in.” The long march has already left people completely exhausted. They were able to keep their spirits up despite all odds and tragedies that they have had to face along the way in the hope of a better future. Seven of their comrades had to pay with their lives. Three of them died in an accident when a speeding truck ran over them; four other died due to illness. There are another 150 people who have fallen sick. Indomitable Rajagopal said: “We’ll continue to sit here until the government talks to us and shows its reverence to the people, who have walked miles to reach here. We’ll not allow the sacrifice of our seven people to go waste.” |
User comments
"Is the Indian media sleeping?"Author:
Sarita Pandey
Time: 10.11.2007 21:55
Comment: Wow! Such a news and not a single news channel in India has adopted the cause or even as much as done a single story on it! Media alone can put any significant pressure on the government. But alas, media is completely off-track about its responsibility and even has its vested interests in not bringing up such issues to public notice or create a mass campaign about it...
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