All of us have witnessed unprecedented attacks on our Constitutional values, especially democracy and secularism, and on the livelihoods of people, by the ruling fascist regime at the Centre over the past few months, taking advantage of the Corona pandemic. In order to launch a concerted campaign to create awareness among the people regarding these issues, we were involved in reviving the "Hum Bharat Ke Log" (We The People Of India) platform of people's organisations from all over the country, and organized several campaigns under its banner. We were also involved in various campaigns and protests against the inhuman manner in which the administration of the Uttar Pradesh state handled the Hathras rape case. Here is a brief report of our activities in October month.

Programs organized by Hum Bharat Ke Log

2 October: Nirbhay Bano (Be Fearless)

Human chain on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti

On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, Hum Bharat ke Log organized a human chain at Pune station from Gandhi statue to Ambedkar statue. This protest was “to reclaim Gandhi’s Swaraj” that is – to assert our right to dissent against the rulers and the ruling ideology. We participated in this human chain along with various progressive organizations of Pune. Lokayat teams in the Kondhwa area and Peths of Pune also conducted smaller protests in their respective areas.

14 October: MSP Divas

Public Awareness Campaign in Support of Farmers' Demands

The nationwide farmers’ movement had given a call to organise MSP Divas on 14 October to create awareness amongst people regarding their demands. In solidarity with their call, Hum Bharat ke Log (We the People of India) organized an awareness campaign at the Mahatma Phule Mandai in Pune. Despite heavy rains, 25 people, including our activists, participated in the campaign. We held placards and banners and distributed pamphlets to the few people present in the market.

Programs organized by Abhivyakti

11 October: How many more Khairlanji and Hathras?

Protest rally against Hathras rape

At the initiative of Lokayat and the Pune city Congress party, three main non-BJP parties, the Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena, organised a joint rally against the horrific Hathras Rape case and its inhuman handling by the UP Government, which exposed the growing fascist atmosphere in Uttar Pradesh. More than a thousand people participated in the march from Lal Mahal to Mahatma Phule Mandai in the heart of old Pune.

6 October: How many more Khairlanji and Hathras?

Public protest meeting against Hathras rape

A public protest meeting was organised in the old city, jointly by Lokayat and local unit of the Congress party. Members of AAP and RSD also joined this meeting. More than fifty people, including several local people who had been active in Pune Shaheen Bagh dharna before the lockdown, attended this meeting. The meeting concluded with a public pledge to struggle against casteism and Patriarchy.

3 October: How many more Khairlanji and Hathras?

Public protest meeting against Hathras rape

In protest against the Hathras incident, a candlelight vigil was held on 3rd Oct at Golandaj chowk in the Wadarwadi slum of Pune. Although the vigil was unpublicized and started with a handful of our activists, more than 40 local people joined it spontaneously. We also organized similar, small protest/campaigns in several areas of Wadarwadi and Gokhalenagar in the days that followed, in which many local people participated.

Series of street campaigns against Hathras rape

We organized a series of street campaigns in various parts of Pune in the background of the Hathras incident, to have a dialogue with the people on the increasing number of incidents of violence against women across the country, and calling upon people to take stands on fighting caste and patriarchy in their daily lives. We got an amazing response from common people on this issue, with many people even volunteering to join Abhivyakti.

Activists from Lokayat also participated in a street protest at Rani Laxmibai statue, organized by Ambedkar Students’ Organization as part of a nationwide protest against the Hathras rape case.

Programs organized by Lawyers for Equality

Programs organized in Pune Slums

Collaboration with Rikshaw Panchayat

Series of creative protests of rikshaw drivers in Pune

Rickshaw drivers in Pune, under the leadership of Dr. Baba Adhav and Nitin Pawar, have been agitating for compensation for losses caused by the lockdown and for a slew of other livelihood related demands. Four large protests were carried out by the Rickshaw Panchayat for these demands during the month of October. On the 1st of October, there was a dharna outside the Pune collector office. It was a massive protest, in which more than 1000 rickshaw drivers participated. This was followed by three Satyagrahas outside the offices of all members of the ruling alliance in the state – Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena. The satyagrahas were very creative – the rickshaw drivers made huge cut-outs, sang bhajans, and invoked the ideals of Sant Tukaram, Shivaji Maharaj and Mahatma Gandhi in their protests. Our activists helped in the organizing of all these protests.

Collaboration with FFF Pune

Series of creative campaigns on the issue of climate crisis

Our student activists are active in the FFF Pune Chapter. They are actively campaigning to protect the tekdis (hills) of Pune city as well as raising awareness about the deepening global ecological crisis. Three such campaigns were organized this month. These campaigns on the most popular hills of Pune are getting a good response.

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Law College Road, near Nalstop, Pune.
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