PUCL Bulletin,
June 2003
PUCLBegusarai, Bihar
Seminar
on marginalised people
A seminar was held on 11th April 2003 on "Marginalised People and
Human Rights" at Barauni village Middle School, Begusarai. Bihar
PUCL Vice-president Prof. Vinay Kanth, inaugurating the seminar, said,
"Human Rights can be classified into three categories: Civil and
Political Rights; Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights; and Collective
Rights to Development". He said that the main aim of the seminar
was to discuss how to preserve Human Rights of marginalised sections of
society. The proportion of the poor is increasing in the world. He called
on the people to come forward and change the system that is depriving
the poor of a dignified life. It is possible only through a people's movement.
The seminar was presided over by the District PUCL President and Editor
of Manavaadhikaar magazine, Shri Ramashray Prasad Singh. He had
circulated a four page informatory note regarding 'Marginalised People
and Human Rights'.
Addressing the participants of this function, the chief guest of the seminar,
constitutional expert, President, UP State PUCL and National Organising
Secretary, Shri Ravi Kiran Jain, said, "Corrupt and criminal elements
have entered politics". Elections are more expensive and self-interest
motivates them. This is the cause of increasing difference between the
rich and the poor. He was happy to see the large gathering in the seminar.
He lauded the ideas of taking such seminars to the rural areas also. He
said that he was with the struggle of the strong unit of Begusarai PUCL
to preserve the marginalised people's rights. He said that the World Bank
was turning into a super boss, threatening the very sovereignty and democratic
right of self-governance in the country. He warned that India was on the
brink of loosing its democratic structure and sovereignty to the World
Bank.
There seemed to be a consensus among all the political parties to surrender
our sovereignty, both economic and political, to the World Bank by dividing
among themselves the vote banks on caste and communal lines, he said.
The job of deciding how the country should be governed and also the job
of evaluating our achievements (development index) which are meant to
be done by people's elected representatives, are now being done by the
World Bank.
Not only this, Shri Jain said, India's corrupt bureaucracy is under the
command of the World Bank and our bureaucrats now appear to be taking
orders from the World Bank and not from the government elected by the
people. He said that it becomes very clear from the successive World Bank
reports and recommendations, released by it from time to time, that in
return of the loans it has advanced to India, it wants to determine how
India should govern itself. The World Bank is setting an agenda for India
in all spheres of governance, be it health, education, the art of governance,
judicial administrative print media, be it the power generation and distribution,
or the local self governance in urban and rural areas. The World Bank
is not only monitoring and evaluating our performance and giving us good
and poor marks in the same manner a school teacher awards marks to students.
He maintained that the pro-rich policies of the World Bank were an important
cause of increasing proportion of marginalised people in our country.
All educated and aware people from every walk of life must come forward
and raise their voice against this conspiracy to which all the political
parties are a party. It is enslaving India politically, socially, culturally,
educationally, and administratively. The PUCL, on its part, has already
been doing and will continue to do whatever it can to safeguard people's
freedom and sovereignty. The PUCL looks forward to people's massive support
for any movement for this national cause, Shri Jain added.
A senior lawyer of Patna High Court, Ratneshwar Prasad Singh, suggested
that first we should ensure the basic minimum needs of the marginalised
people like water, food, fuel, fodder, education, for empowering people,
and then proceed further.
State Vice-President and a senior staff reporter of the Times of India,
Shri Arun Kumar, said, "Not only a large number of people are marginalised
but states and countries are also marginalised".
State PUCL vice-president and president of Bihar Rajya Yuwa Adhivakta
Kalyan Sangh, Shri Ashutosh Kumar, praised Begusarai PUCL team and spelt
the achievements of this team.
Among others who spoke at the function were Prof. Chandra Bhushan Trivedi,
Dr. Ramchandra Singh Fauladi, ex-mukhiya Ramashish Singh.
PUCL State Council member and advocate Ram Naresh Sharma conducted the
seminar. District PUCL General Secretary Ram Murti Singh welcomed the
guests and the people who participated in the seminar. Rani (EPTA), Arun,
Rajesh, and his artist team presented some song items.
At the end of the function Barauni PUCL Seminar Organising Convenor, Shri
Sumant Kumar, thanked the people for their hearty participation in it.
-- Ramashray Prasad Singh, President, PUCL Begusarai; Neeraj Kumar (A
student of IIHR, Delhi).