Ms. Patkar said it was the interests of corporate houses and the rich that got reflected in national policies, with the interests and rights of the majority of the people being ignored
Social and environmental activist Medha Patkar has said that a People’s Assembly, comprising representatives of forums spearheading people’s struggles and intended to take forward people’s issues, held immense significance in a scenario where electoral politics had surrendered itself to corruption and loss of values.
Delivering the keynote address at a People’s Assembly organised by the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) here on Saturday, Ms. Patkar said it was the interests of corporate houses and the rich that got reflected in national policies, with the interests and rights of the majority of the people being ignored. Mainstream political parties had got stuck in a groove that led them into thinking that exploitation of natural and environmental resources was development.
However, there were members from these mainstream political parties who were ready to be part of people’s struggles. The dialogues with them would be continued. The People’s Assembly, she hoped, would gain strength and from being just an alternative, it would grow into the true mainstream politics of the future.
Ms. Patkar inaugurated the assembly by passing on a flag to well-known people’s struggle leaders like Vilayodi Venugopal (Plachimada), Sharada (Chengara), Ambalathara Kunhikrishnan (endosulphan) and others.
The assembly later saw resolutions on various issues that had found resonance in the State’s public domain over the last few years. being presented. These included one demanding a resolution from the Legislative Assembly against the Koodankulam project; one that demanded a probe into foreign funding for drug trials; and another that demanded the government to take over about 60,000 acres in Nelliampathy.
Keywords: Medha Patkar, People’s Assembly
