From: paschim banga khet majoor samity pbkmswb@gmail.com
Sent: Thu, 05 Jul 2012 22:49:31 +0530
To: Anuradha Talwar pbkmswb@gmail.com
Subject: Fwd: tala kholo abhiyan in Burdwan
Right to Food & Work Campaign - Kalna , Burdwan District
As the continuation of the State level Campaign on 'Right To Food & Work', coordinated by the
Jesuits run Udayani Social Action Forum, Kolkata, a rally and dharna was organized at Kalna
Town for Burdwan District on 4th
July 2012.
Around 400 Self Help Group women and
around 100 Farmers club men from around
53 villages from Kalna block I &II gathered
at two different spot at 11 am braving rain
and the heat!
Some activists from Kolkata and Nadia joined the gathering to encourage and support women
and men demanding their rights to life!
The rallies started at two different places ( Kalna I from the Bus Stand and Kalna II from Kalo
Dokan More) and merged at Thetul Tola more(close to Christo Seva Ashram) and walked
towards Sub-Divisional Controller of Food and Supply through the crowded markets and Police
Station shouting slogans!
They shouted 'Tala Kholo Khabar dao' -Open the door
give us food- 'Churi Bandhu Koro' – stop stealing-
'Kevu Khabe Kevu Khabe na Ta Hobe Na'- some eat
and some don't that shouldn't be and many more such
slogans in full vigor and conviction.
The pale and malnourished women carrying empty plates and posters in the hand was a sight for
the town and administration. Many agreed saying, 'this is a just fight for survival and I support
fully'. Some passer by joined the catchy slogans voluntarily!
The posters had demands like, open the ration shop for 51/2 days,
give us the 100 days work 100 days! Stop steeling our food, no
BPL and APL give food to all equally and the likes which are
Apex court order and demand of poor! Give bills for the ration
given! And so on…
The police though were informed well in advance, neglected to be present at the start of the
venue but when they saw the crowd shouting slogans pass by suddenly got organized and sent a
team of personnel! The neglect of the economically weak and socially low class and caste by the
administration is not news anymore!Once the protest march reached the venue of the Sub-Divisional controller, the activists
encouraged them and enlightened them of their basic rights with food and how Govt and
Administration is indifferent and waste food grains while people die of starvation and hunger!
Since neither the controller nor any other officials came
out to listen to people, the women decided to force enter
the office and 'gherao' the officers.
The small office could not contain all women, hence, a
delegation went in with local demands, while rest squatted
in the office premise and outside demanding immediate actions!
A Two hour 'gherao' yielded the desired results as the officials
gave out the allotment list and the price of each item, and
promised to receive complains and application for new Ration
card on Wednesday of every week. They also promised to work
diligently hereafter!
The women now sure of a little more of their 'Rights' with regard
to Food programs said 'we shall come back in bigger number if
the promises are not kept'!
Udayani Social Action Forum will organize Two more
such mass awareness programs for Hugli and Bankura
districts in the coming weeks together with other NGOs,
Networks and Activist!
Jothi SJ
Right To Food & Work Campaign West Bengal
For more information about our work and struggles , please also look at our new blog site at http://khetmajoorsamity.blogspot.com.
For more information about our work and struggles , please also look at our new blog site at http://khetmajoorsamity.blogspot.com.
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