Leaders of Samvidhan Samman Yatra, a tour that demands Union and State governments to honour the Indian Constitution, accused the caretaker TRS government of subverting the Constitution to benefit corporate giants.
Those who participated in the all-India tour, which started at Dandi and is scheduled to end in New Delhi, said the government has not worked towards uplifting the socio-economically deprived and marginalised populations.
‘Diversity not upheld’
Magsaysay Award winner Sandeep Pandey, who was part of the tour, said diversity which is inherent in Indian culture is not being upheld by Union and State governments. “Hindutva forces who talk about the greatness of Indian culture are destroying diversity, promoting violent attacks on minorities and Dalits. Even universities do not have space for free speech as I was asked to leave my position as professor at Banaras Hindu University, saying that I was promoting anti-national thought,” he said.
Taking on the mighty
Speaking at a stop in the city, Prafulla Samantaray, an activist from Odisha involved with the Niyamgiri and POSCO movements, said, “While the governments are assaulting all the resources of people, including forests and land, people have repeatedly shown that only through struggle they can achieve their rights. The adivasis of Niyamgiri have shown that powerful companies like Vedanta can be defeated, and the POSCO struggle has reversed the biggest FDI project in the country.”
Also at the meet were Krishnakant, leader of Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti in Gujarat, who led movements against Mitti Virdi nuclear power plant.
Human rights activist and professor Haragopal said, “Even the judiciary has been subverted and is not able to take strong action even as a people’s advocate like Sudha Bharadwaj or activist like Varavara Rao were arrested.”
After touching Hyderabad, the yatra then moved to a meeting at Veliminedu village in support of people affected by pharmaceutical industry in Chityala area of Nalgonda district. The tour was mobilised by National Alliance of People’s Movements.
