NAPM Convention ends with a greater resolve to establish democratic control over natural resources and strengthen struggle against forced land acquisitions

28^th October, 2010

Badwani, Madhya Pradesh : The Eighth Biennial Convention of National Alliance of People’s Movement ended on October 26^th with after three days of extensive deliberations on contemporary issues, electing the new National Conveners’ Team and formulating a regional and national programmes for next two years with a resolve to strengthen the struggle on various fronts.

More than Seven hundred participants from 20 states and nearly 150 organizations discussed the critical problems before the country including Land Acquisition and Displacement in urban and rural areas, Forest Rights Act and its implementation, the inequity faced by the ‘unprotected’ labourers, dams’ water and power policy and the threat of growing communalisation of politics and continuing discrimination against Dalits.

The Convention also endorsed the process of formation of a People’s Parliament i.e. “Jan Sansad” along with many other alliances in the country and extended its full commitment to the process. “Jan Sansad” would be held across the country in struggle areas with a common framework of Peace, Justice and Democracy. It will be demonstrative of direct (not representative) and just democratic forum and processes. It would strive to bring together people’s representatives, eminent activists and progressive professionals from various walks of life who would petition the conscience of the nation and drawing on the force of moral strength will ordain direct actions and programme for immediate relief and long term transformation in the society.

National Conveners Committee

This convention elected its National Conveners through a decentralised process of elections at the state conventions. In addition to the ten conveners delegates at the convention from each state proposed five other conveners for the National Committee. As of now the National Conveners’ Committee include :

➢ Prafulla Samantara (Orissa)
➢ Roma (Uttar Pradesh)
➢ D. Gabriele (Tamil Nadu)
➢ P. Chennaiah (Andhra Pradesh)
➢ Anand Mazgaonkar (Gujarat)
➢ Akhil Gogoi (Assam)
➢ Sr. Celia (Karnataka)
➢ Geo Jose (Kerala)
➢ Ulka Mahajan (Maharashtra)
➢ Suniti S. R. (Maharashtra)
➢ Bhupendra Singh Rawat (Delhi)
➢ Sandeep Pandey and
➢ Medha Patkar
➢ Aruna Roy to be the permanent invitee.

More members would be added to the conveners Committee after the completion of the state conventions in the other states. The NAPM Conveners’ Committee in turn elected Madhuresh Kumar, Rajendra Ravi (New Delhi) and Mukta Srivastava (Maharashtra) as the National Organizers.

Actions / Programmes

After deliberations in the panel and workshops a joint national programmme was declared with the appeal to everyone to carry forward the agenda and expand the organisational strength of the Alliance. Each state chapter formulated their own programme and strategies for carrying forward the issue based struggles and their commitment and enthusiasm towards achieving comprehensive social change through multiple front actions – from mass mobilisations, to legal challenges, policy interventions and critical reflections on shared history and alliance processes.

Key Programmes

➢ To oppose any move by the UPA government to bring in the Land Acquisition (Amendment) Bill and Resettlement & Rehabilitation Bill, without including the demands of people’s movements which has been debated and presented at different levels of governments over past two decades. From Convention itself, NAPM wrote to the Union Finance Minister, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, who has been holding talks with the political parties and corporate bodies, that a separate consultation on this should be held with them and the Bills should not be pushed ahead in the present form. The Convention re-emphasised its commitment towards repeal of Land Acquisition Act and enactment of a National Development Planning Act for which it will launch mass actions in upcoming months throughout the country.

➢ A plan to join the struggle against the undemocratic and anti-people 45,000 crore UID Card Project (Aadhar) which will add another unnecessary burden and would become further means of exploitation of the poor.

➢ A campaign for a wider and stronger legislation for full social security and protection to the 96% of on working classes, unjustifiably categorized as ‘unorganised’, would be intensified to provide their due to dalits, OBCs and adivasis, minorities, who to a large extent, fall in this category.

➢ The Ayodhya judgment is more political than legal but the society showed enough maturity which prevented any extreme reactions and this shows the efforts of various progressive movements over the years in establishing communal harmony. In continuance of its efforts NAPM resolved to join the ‘Sadbhav Yatra’ from Ayodhya to Wardha, beginning on December 10^th, the Human Rights Day along with other movements.

➢ To continue the struggle for enactment of a comprehensive Food Security Act, including the priority to protecting agriculture and also oppose the diversion of agricultural land to the non-agricultural market-based business, whether industries or real estate development.

➢ Condemning the anti-people moves in the name of “Right to education” and “Health for all”, deprivation of the real needy people of these basic services, NAPM resolved to challenge this at state and national level.

The Convention ended on the note of keeping the traditions of struggle and reconstruction alive and present an alternative to the present vulgar politics, giving a new political expression and vocabulary to the peace and justice movements in the country.

Contact : Madhuresh Kumar, 09818905316

NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF PEOPLE’S MOVEMENTS
A Wing First Floor, Haji Habi Building, Naigaon Cross Road _ Dadar (E), Mumbai-400 014 Ph. No-2415 0529; Delhi Contact: 09818905316
E-mail: napmindia gmail.com