Towards Alliance for People’s Rights

Dear friends,

Towards Alliance for People’s Rights

The nation is set on its trip towards Neo Liberal path of development.  Every effort of the government is focused on making it easy to do business by the corporate houses and the multinational corporations.   The nation is made to get hungry for foreign investments.    Growth in private industries is equated with development.   Jal, Jangal and Jameen will be owned by the industrialists.  The industrialists will have right over the lands of the farmers.  And they are believed to be ones who will take care of all whose lands will be alienated from them. The fate of the poor, the farmers, dalits, and aadivasies is handed over into the hands of the industrialists.  The industrialists will give jobs to the farmers who will have to go through the contractors to work for their daily bread.

On the other hand the Constitution of India, the supreme document of our nation speaks about the rights of all the citizens of India.  The United Nation’s Declaration on Human rights and several international covenants that our country has singed become the basis for the rights of the people.  People have right to life, livelihood, employment, food security, health care and quality education.  But these rights will soon be like a pie in the sky.  While people’s rights are pious wishes of the nation and the governments of the day the people are left high and dry.  They have to struggle and fend for themselves.  In this situation the only way ahead is to fight for the rights of the people.

In this context we need to work with people to ensure that they get their rights.  MGNREGA, food security, right to health, right to education have been legislated.  Yet people see these rights only as a mirage.  I feel there is a need for the right thinking persons, particularly for the NGOs who work for the welfare of the poor to come together to ensure that the rights of the people become property of the people;  that the government makes it possible for people to get their right in fair and transparent manner.

In Andhra Pradesh there is a mechanism called Andhra Pradesh NGO Alliance (APNA).  This alliance is promoted by the government because of the incessant struggle of the NGOs and activists in Andhra.  In Andhra Pradesh the NGOs in the alliance are monitoring the implementation of the MGNREGA and MGNREGA is implemented in a fair and transparent manner.

The situation in Karnataka is pathetic.  Contractors’ lobby has high jacked MGNREGA.  They have deprived the people their right to employment through fraudulent methods of fabricating documents and false bank accounts in the name of the poor.

There is a possibility if all the right thinking people and NGOs come together to bring about a change.  We can come together to remedy the corruption in the implementation of MGNREGA and ensure that people get their right to work.  We have another important legislation on Food Security.  We can also monitor the implementation of Food Security Act.

I would like to invite individuals and NGOs to come together and form an “Alliance for People’s Rights”.  We can learn from Andhra Pradesh and evolve a mechanism to ensure that people get their rights.

I appeal you to respond to this message showing your willingness to consider this idea of forming an alliance.  We can come together and give shape to this alliance and search for a way to go about in ensuring that the poor get their rights.  I think the NGOs as well as individuals can be part of this alliance.  All those, NGOs and individuals in Karnataka who feel strongly to work to ensure that the poor get their rights should join hands together and work.

I would suggest that we can hold our first meeting either in Bangalore or in Mysore depending on the convenience of the people.  I await your response.

You can respond to me on my email which is alextuscano@gmail.com.  Please indicate your preference for both the date and the venue of the meeting.  Your board and lodge will be taken care of.  You will need to look after your travel only.

Yours sincerely,

Alex Tuscano