| LOKAYAT - forum for a new world! |
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This February, as the mercury touched a new high, the shamelessness of our corporate-fascist rulers touched new lows. The first in the form of silence on the alleged misdeeds of the Adani conglomerate, the second in the form of yet another brazenly pro-corporate budget.
But all is not gloomy. Throughout the country, people are coming together, getting organised, and raising their voices in defence of our democracy. Alliances are forming and some are gaining small and big victories too. In such united action lies our hope.
The following is a report of our activities from the past month. |
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6th Kasba Legislative Assembly By-Election Campaign |
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|  | In the spirit of uniting democratic forces against the BJP regime’s fierce and multronged attack on the Constitution, Lokayat supports the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance of Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena (UBT) in Maharashtra. We work actively with the MVA on many fronts, especially in the training of grassroots activists and public outreach.
The Kasba legislative assembly constituency covers the old-city area of Pune. It has been a bastion of the RSS-BJP for the past many decades. A by-election for the seat was held on 26th February. The second half of the month witnessed a torrid electoral campaign in which the MVA left no stone unturned to reach voters through rallies, campaigns and sabhas. As we were writing this newsletter, the MVA candidate Mr Ravindra Dhangekar of the Congress emerged victorious with a commendable margin of 10,950 votes.
This victory underscores the fact that an organised and strenuous effort to reach out to people at the grass-roots, with the right issues, is capable of squarely defeating the BJP, despite its deep-pockets and misuse of state machinery.
Lokayat lent its full support to the MVA candidate. We refocused our strength from some of our regular activities to play an active part in this memorable electoral campaign:
Daily door-to-door campaigns: For two weeks preceding polling day, every evening, Lokayat activists went door-to-door in Kasba along with local MVA activists. We covered scores of apartment buildings, housing societies, shops and tenements. Besides appealing for votes, we also discussed people’s issues -- rising prices, womens’ security, unemployment -- and their roots in the BJP government’s policies. We organised 20 such campaigns. Street corner meetings: We contributed to 10 kopra-sabhas (street corner meetings) organised by the MVA, with our speeches as well as our cultural programs. These corner meetings touched upon the local civic issues – ineptitude of incumbent BJP corporators, water supply, issues faced by residents of heritage buildings, etc. Workers’ meetings: The Rashtriya Mazdoor Sangh union of unorganised workers also held four meetings of its members to raise awareness about the competing candidates. Our activists, who work closely with the union, spoke about the anti-worker policies of the BJP in these meetings. Cultural programs: Our cultural team performed in three mammoth election rallies and four local rallies, raising awareness about the people’s livelihood issues through songs. |
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Shiv Jayanti - Spreading True History
of The People’s King |
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|  | Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is deeply revered by the people even today. Fascist forces have long misused his image and distorted his history towards their own ends. For the last many years, we have been propagating the true history of this “people’s king” on the occasion of his birth anniversary, through cultural programs, talks and film screenings.
This year, instead of the usual stage programs we focused on street campaigns. We organised three such campaigns, one in the Wadarwadi slum, and two in Kothrud – in a busy marketplace and a public park. We had good conversations with people – about pro-farmer policies of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, compared to today’s government policies, the need to unite people across caste and communal lines. A few people joined us as volunteers during that campaign.
For spreading the true history of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Com. Govind Pansare was killed, eight years ago, this month. His killers have not been brought to trial, let alone justice. The masterminds roam free. To mark his death anniversary with a celebration of his ideas, we screened his popular talk Rayatecha Raja Shivaji (People’s King Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj) in our Sunday meeting. |
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Maharashtra Samman Parishad |
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|  | Numerous secular political activists, led by Dr Jitendra Avhad and Adv. Sushma Andhare came together and organised the Maharashtra Sanman Parishad (Maharashtra Honour Conference) at Tilak Smarak Mandir in Pune on the 3rd of February. The conference raised many issues faced by Bahujan communities in the state. The hall was packed beyond capacity.
Kafila, our cultural wing, performed a Powada (ballad) of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj highlighting his efforts for the welfare of farmers and the across-caste unity and communal harmony which he represents.
At any progressive gathering, we set up a bookstall with books highlighting various issues, through which we got the opportunity to have a dialogue with many people. (That is the primary purpose of our bookstalls. Our books are available for free download at this link.)
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Reclaiming the Streets – One Billion Rising Against Violence |
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|  | One Billion Rising is a global campaign organised every year on Valentine's Day, February 14, to end violence against women. It witnesses women from all walks of life reclaiming the streets and cities by singing, dancing, shouting slogans and asserting their right to walk the streets as equals to men, without fear. Men come in support and participate in the campaign wholeheartedly.
Lokayat has been organising One Billion RIsing rallies every year. This year too, we celebrated Valentine's Day with a vibrant and colourful One Billion Rising rally with loads of songs, poems, slogans & flash mob dance. This year, many school and college students from Wadarwadi slum participated with great zeal.
A special attraction this year was a collective circular dance on slogans and the beats of our dhol pathak (drummers’ troupe). All members, volunteers and the general public participated in the dance with great enthusiasm.
The program was jointly organised by Abhivyakti, Smile, Varsa Social Foundation, Rashtriya Mahila Majdoor Aghadi, Anganwadi Karmachari Sabha and Unique Educational Foundation.
| | View OBR Flash Mob Dance |
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| Regular Activities for Women and Girls by Abhivyakti |
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|  | In order to reach out to the youth to spread information about the One Billion Rising rally and motivate them to participate in it, we organised a street campaign on Shastri Road. There was also one campaign on violence against women. Both campaigns drew a good response.
This month's monthly meeting of Abhivyakti was related to the theme of One Billion Rising rally. We screened Smita Patil's iconic film 'Mirch Masala', where a woman decides to fight against her powerful oppressor; the guard of a chilli factory helps her; and the women and the teacher of the village join her to openly defy the prevailing repression. Following the screening, the audience shared their life experiences about the patriarchal oppression they had faced in their lives.
Abhivyakti also screened Anurag Kashyap's celebrated short film 'That Day After Everyday', in one of our weekly open meetings on Sunday. The film talks about violence against women and how to deal with. The movie was followed by a lively discussion on the topic. There were 13 new participants in this meeting, who have shown interest in becoming active on these issues. |
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| Regular Street Campaigns on Social and
Economic Issues |
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|  | Lokayat organises weekly street campaigns on various issues in public places, especially youth hangouts and college campuses. This is our most important outreach activity in which we initiate a dialogue with people on burning issues. In the month of February, apart from the campaigns on gender issues mentioned above, we organised:
Three campaigns against inflation and unemployment. One bookstall campaign on unemployment outside a college, where we had a wonderful discussion on the root causes and solutions of the unemployment crisis with college youth. Most people we meet on the roads during our campaigns are distressed over the increasing inflation and unemployment, but do not understand its real reasons in the government's pro-corporate policies. Many even blame the ordinary people for these problems - such as that unemployment is because of excessive population, or because people do not want to do hard work and want only cushy jobs, etc. An important reason for this lack of awareness is that the 'Godi' media does not carry any critical articles these days. Through our campaigns, we try and educate people on the real reasons for their economic problems - that their roots lie in the pro-corporate policies of the Modi Government.
We appeal to you to contribute a couple of hours a week to join the campaigns!
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| Lokayat Nagari Samiti Campaign for Universal and Expanded PDS |
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|  | Over the years, the central government – kowtowing to multinationals and the IMF – has tried to take away even the little rations that it was providing to the poor. It has been our long standing demand that the government should implement a universal Public Distribution System (PDS) and that rations should include at least pulses and oil in addition to cereals. Lokayat Nagari Samiti organises campaigns and discussions on this issue. In February, we organised the following programs for those with dormant ration cards -
In Pune's Bhawani Peth area, we organised a door to door campaign to mobilise people to visit the local PDS office. 23 families joined us for a meeting with the PDS officer. The meeting was positive and we expect their rations to be restored in 3 months time. This meeting boosted the confidence of locals to engage with government officials and demand their rightful rations. In Wadarwadi, we organised 2 door to door campaigns and a common meeting of those locals whose ration has been restored. (Their ration cards were dormant for years and they could not avail any rations. After our intervention, their cards were reactivated.) |
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Unemployment Crisis Book Released in Marathi |
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|  | We are happy to announce the publication of “बेरोजगारीचे संकट, कारणे व उपाय", the Marathi translation of Lokayat book “Unemployment Crisis: Reasons and Solutions”. The book is available at this link. Do download and circulate widely. If you wish to purchase hard-copies, contact us: 9423507864. The book is also available in Hindi.
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| |  | #OBR #2023 Flash Mob Dance | #Ek #Zindagi |
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 | है सौ करोड का कहना #OBR #2023 |
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 | Union #Budget 2023: What is in it for people? |
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| We continue to regularly publish progressive content on social media. Among the issues we raised this month were petrol, diesel & gas price hike, privatisation, caste inequality, gender & economic crisis etc. |
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| Volunteer for poster making activity if you are interested.
Contact us if you want to host our program on your channel. |
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| | | Fill this form to join us: |
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| Lokayat, 129/B Erandwane, opposite Canara Bank,
Law College Road, near Nalstop, Pune.
Rishikesh : +91 94235 07864 | Kalyani : +91 83900 28617 |
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