Samajwadi Vichaar Yatra Reached Mumbai. Delhi follow Mumbai in impeding the rise of Communal Powers

Press Release Mumbai 12Feb2020: On its 14th day, Unite India-Save the Constitution yatra reached Palghar, where the members of Janta Dal Secular and Rashtra Sewa Dal welcomed the Yatris.

After garlanding the statues of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Baba Saheb Ambedkar, a rally was taken out at the end of which the Yatris remembered the martyrs – Govind Ganesh Thakur, Ramachandra Madhav Churi, Sukur Govind More, Ramprasad Bheemshankar Tiwari and Kashinath hari Paagdhare by garlanding their statues at Shaheed Smaarak and shouting slogans in their respect – Shaheedon ko bhulon mat. Post this, a public assembly was organized and the yatris addressed the press.

Especially present was Yusuf Meher Ali Centre and Janta Weely’s G.G Parikh who is also a freedom fighter from the 1942 movement.

Addressing the assembly, G.G Parikh said that people rising up against the fascist powers in India, comes as a ray of light. He said that Maharashtra elections proved to be a barrier against the communal and violent powers of the Centre’s ruling party, and it won’t be easy to reverse this change. Delhi’s electorate has further strengthened this force. G.G Parikh said that Samajwadi Vichaar Yatra will embolden the socialist and progressive movements in the country.He also congratulated the yatris on managing to collect Rs. 53000 in public donations in the past 12 days.

Calling the government’s budget, anti-people and pro-corporate, Prabhakar Naarkar said that on one hand, the government is giving more and more exemptions and benefits to the corporate sector, on the other hand, it is reducing its allocations for education, health, employment, farmer and societal development. The government has taken 1.76 lakh crore from the RBI and has given exemptions worth 40 lakh crore to corporates.

Addressing the assembly, Yatra Convenor Arun Shrivastava said that on the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Gandhiji and to mark 85 years of socialist movement and the freedom movement, Samajwadi Samagam in collaboration with Rastra Seva Dal, Hind Mazdoor Sabha, National Association of People’s Movements (NAPM), Socialist Organizations, Hum Bharat Ke Log, Yusuf Meher Ali center and PAIGAM is launching the Samajwadi Vichar Yatra to restore the values of the socialist movement of India and to establish constitutional values and counter anti-constitutional measures like CAA-NRC and NPR, privatization of public sector, Rising Unemployment, Rising Inequality, mob lynching, conspiracy to destroy crores of tribals, increasing crimes on Dalits, women and minorities, deepening agrarian crisis, abolition of labor laws and making the lives of fifty five crore workers insecure by implementing the four labor codes.

Dr. Sunilam addressed the assemblies and said the Modi has pushed this country into an economic recession by coming out with laws like GST, Demonetization and abrogation of Article 370. On one hand, 1.5 crore people are getting into the job market after studies, while on the other hand, 3.65 crore people have lost their existing jobs in the past 5 years. In totality, 15 crore unemployed people need jobs. This is the reason why people of India do no need a Citizens register, but rather an Unemployment register in which the unemployed should receive 10,000 per month social security..

The assembly was also addressed by members of Janta Dal Secular – Prakash Lavekar (Palghar district president and rashtra Sewa Dal president), Subhash More (Palghar Taluka president), Vidyadhar Thakur, Arvind Patil, Kumar Raut (Vasai president), Vikaas VIchare, Prabhakar Naarkar (Mumbai president), Jyoti Badhekar (Mumbai General Secretary) and others.

Yatris of Samajwadi Vichaar Yatra – Lokesh Bhiwani (Haryana), Vijay Hange (Maharashtra), Ganesh Gondare (Maharashtra), Swati, Pramila and Anjana (Uttarakhand), Bale Bhai (Madhya Pradesh) and Rohan Gupta (Jharkhand) also expressed their views. Prakash Lavekar coordinated the assembly and rendered the vote of thanks.

Tomorrow morning, the yatra will visit Chaitya Bhumi and then lend their support to the women staging their protest against NRC at the Shaheen Bagh of Mumbai. At 4 o’ clock, Samajwadi Vichaar Yatra will address a press conference at Maratha Patrakaar Sangh, which will be presided over by G. G Parikh. A 7 o’ clock, a public assembly will be organized at Annabhau Sathe Nagar, Mankhurd.

The first phase of Yatra will conclude in Hyderabad on 23 March. The yatra will pass through 16 states in this phase. The second phase starts from Champaran on 11 April and will conclude in Patna on 17 May, during which 10 states will be covered. The third phase starts from Sitabadiyara (Ballia) on 11 October and conclude at Indra Prasth Estate ,Narendra Niketan,ITO- Delhi on 31 October. More than 500 programs will be organized across the country for the Samajwadi Vichar Yatra. The yatra is being led by chief Convenor Arun Srivastava and co-convenor Dr. Sunilam (former MLA).

The process of Samajwadi Samagam started five years ago to reinvigorate the freedom movement, restore the values of the socialist movement and to fortify constitutional values. Samajwad Samagam’s objective is also to unify the various movements that include people’s movements, human rights movements, environmental movements and all Democratic and secular movements associated with socialist, Gandhian, Sarvodaya, leftist and Ambedkarite ideals.

Arun Kumar Srivastava (Convenor, Bharat Jodo – Samvidhan Bachao, Samajwadi Samagam Yatra).