May 14, 2012

Chalo Parliament : A Rally organized by SC/ST Budget Adhikar Andolan at Jantar Mantar,New Delhi,9 May 2012

The SC/ST Budget Adhikar Andolan, a coalition of several organisations, held a protest at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on the 9th of May 2012  to demand that allocation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes announced in the Union Budget be adhered to. NAMHHR Secretariat joined the rally as the rights of SC/STs women are part of our agenda.  NAMHHR member, All India Dalit Mahila Ahikar Manch works on the issue of Dalit Rights and was a key organizer of the rally.

The rally was organized to demand for  the shortfall in the amounts under the Special Component Plan and the Tribal Sub Plan to the tune of Rs. Cr. 33,756.74  and Rs. Cr.13,275.95  in the current Union budget 2012-13, be returned and reallocated to schemes with a clear objective of bridging socio-economic gap between SCs/STs and the General population with particular focus on health, education,housing, assignment/acquisition of land, employment, income generation,entrepreneurship and access to basic amenities. There were parallel protests in 6 other states which culminated in a huge mass mobilization on 9thMay 2012 whose war cry was: “Chalo Parliament”.  

Even the scorching heat (temperature in Delhi was above 400C ! )did not deter those who joined the protest march from several other states. The air rent with cries of  “Hamara Haq Leke rahenge”, “SauMein Pachees Haq Hamara” and “Common wealth took our common wealth!”, as the March proceeded from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar.

For further details,please see on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMtA8KxTezk