Thursday, October 17, 2013

लोकविद्या सत्संग


विद्या आश्रम से लोकविद्या सत्संग का अभियान अब सक्रिय तौर पर शुरू किया गया है. कई वर्षों पहले आश्रम से लोकविद्या सत्संग शुरू किये गये थे। वाराणसी में गंगाजी के घाटों पर और विशेष अवसरों पर प्रयाग में संगम पर लोकविद्या सत्संग के नाम से गायन और वार्ता के कार्यक्रम आयोजित किये जाते रहे. पिछले साल इन्दौर के क्षेत्र में वहां के लोकविद्या समन्वय समूह ने कई ऐसे कार्यक्रम आयोजित किये जो मुख्य रूप से कबीर की गायकी पर आधारित थे। गाँव-गाँव से मंडलियाँ शामिल होती थीं और रात-रात भर भी कार्यक्रम हुए, गाँवों में हुए और कारीगर बस्तियों में हुए। 
अब विद्या आश्रम ने लोकविद्या सत्संग के नाम से एक पुस्तिका तैयार की है. यह लोकविद्या जन आंदोलन पुस्तकमाला की पांचवीं कड़ी है। इसमें कबीर के पदों का लोकविद्या संस्करण जैसा बनाया गया है. आश्रम इन पदों को गाने वालों का एक समूह बना रहा है। लोकविद्या आश्रमों में, भाईचारा विद्यालयों से, ज्ञान पंचायतों में और सम्मेलनों तथा संघर्ष व आंदोलन के स्थानों पर इन पदों की गायकी और समसामयिक चर्चा के साथ लोकविद्या सत्संग किये जायेंगे. पुस्तिका विद्या आश्रम की वेब साइट पर है और लिंक भी नीचे दिया जा रहा है.  
       


विद्या आश्रम 

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Rights of the Mother Earth

[ There was a conference held in US on 11th October called Dialogue on the Rights of the Mother Earth. We had circulated the proposal to the Vidya Ashram group requesting online participation by those who could do it.  Amit Basole from LJA participated online in it. Lalit Kaul wrote the following on that list.  We are posting it on this blog. Also requesting Amit to write on this blog about his participation.     - Editor ]

Rights of the Mother Earth
 I am not sure who can define ‘rights’ of a mother.  I have held this opinion that parents are not the property of their children, but on the other hand the parents may claim the children to be their property for very simple and direct reasons. Who can define Creator’s rights!
I am not sure how much of this ‘emphasis on ‘rights’’ is an embedded part of the native’s traditional way of life; traditionally what governed the dynamics of Lokavidhyadhar Samaj?  What was the guiding principle for them: the concept of ‘right’ over the Samaj or ‘duty’ towards it?
I think the term ‘Dharm’ - as being different from generally understood meaning of religion- as used traditionally for one’s endeavours in the material world lays emphasis only on one’s duties and not rights. The unprecedented deprivation on all fronts as experienced by Lokavidhyadhar Samaj has necessitated usage of the vocabulary ‘rights’ by them, because modern world understands only ‘rights’ not ‘duties’.
Therefore, in my opinion, all those associated with LJA must articulate their thoughts on ‘Duties towards Mother Earth’ even while participating in activities that propound ‘rights’ of mother Earth.
If, for the ecological imbalance and the consequent impending (!) disaster all around the globe, modern technologies, explorative ways of modern science and exploitative ways of modern state are to be blamed then LJA need to articulate how and what kind of alternative (post modern) science and technologies, and state have the potential to not only alleviate the extant imbalances in the Nature, but also deter deprivation/ dispossession of the people across the globe.
Machine over Man OR Man over Machine OR a neat reconciliation of the two to eliminate denial of livelihood to people across the globe! It is the third option that need be synthesized, may be; that may entail totally new definition 1) of ‘science’ that may have to be essentially heterogeneous in character, 2) of the state insofar as organization of societies is concerned, and 3) of wealth.
We have ‘Ministry for Environment’ and ‘Ministry for Infrastructure Development’; the activities of the latter more often than not cause grievous injuries to environment. For public consumption, Ministry for environment raises objections for the projects proposals and stalls their progress for sometime only to be cleared eventually. All things being equal, we know that ultimately who is earning how much wealth decides the fate of the project.

Therefore, defining ‘rights of’ or ‘duty towards’ mother Earth cannot be disjoint with definition of wealth. In a society what parameters shall define their wealthiest person is very important to the very survival of the mother Earth.

Lalit Kaul
Hyderabad

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Lokavidya Prapancham October 16th 2013

Titles of Articles Published:
1. Editorial: Protect the environment from wanton destruction
2. Join hands in the fight against GM crops and Monsanto
3. Open letter written by Madhav Gadgil to Kasturirangan on Protection of    environment and Rights of Local people on natural resources
4. Handloom Revival: The road to destruction of the Handloom sector
5. Silting of water bodies and scarcity of  water
LJA Andhra Pradesh: March against Monsanto 12 Oct 2013

Today we had gathered at Nizam college by 6.45am. There were students of Nizam College, Members of National Alliance of People's Movements, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Raitu Swarajya Vedika,  Lokvidya Jan Andolan and other groups.  And the Cycle rally started around 7am. There were 12-13 cyclists and 3-4 motorbikes. We first went to the Agricultural Commissioners office and did a dharna there - demanding that the govt, cancel all the contracts it has signed with Monsanto, and other companies manufacturing gm seeds. From there we went to Monsanto's office, where we pasted an EVICTION NOTICE on the door of their office. We must note here that Monsanto's office is right next to the Residence of Mr. Subbi Rami Reddy who is the Chairman overseeing the BRAI Bill and also the Minister for Dept. of Science and Technology. After posting the Eviction Notice on Their Door, we came out and did a Dharna at their main entrance. We raised slogans asking Monsanto to Quit India. Here we were joined by the State Farmers Union President of the CPI party, Parsha Padma and Mr. Ramakrishna of CPI party. After the dharna at Monsanto, the next stop was at KBR Park where we distributed pamphlets to the visitors and had many interesting discussions. From here the next stop was at Hitech City and then Madhapur. Where we stopped for breakfast. From Madhapur the cyclists moved on until ICRISAT. On the way we were distributing pamphlets about GM food and also about the March against Monsanto. People expressed the opinion that this campaign must be done extensively across the state in all districts, especially with farmers. 

At ICRISAT we were joined by the Farmers groups of Southern Action Against Genetic Engineering, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh and Fellow activists from Hyderabad. At first, the security of ICRISAT refused to allow us to even stand on the footpath in front of ICRISAT. We showed them the Police permission and stood there and raised slogans against GM food and farmers ' right to seeds, and Demanded ICRISAT to return farmers seeds and Stop GM Research. Then we took out a march upto the Gates of ICRISAT and did a dharna for a short while. Then the women farmers from SAGE, Medak District sang songs against the GM crops and seeds and how they destroy farmers lives, while destroying the soils and people's health. Then we placed all our placards in the center of the space and danced around singing songs on the dangers from GM seeds. As this was the season of Batukamma festivities of Dussera, the same was performed in this manner. After that we once against did a short march and did a sit-in in front of ICRISAT, raising slogans. After that we sat for a short while and discussed the future plan of action with all the people present there. The people working in ICRISAT were not too happy as we had exposed their connection to MONSANTO and BILL GATES (the largest share holder of Monsanto) out in the open. 

The group dispersed around 1.30pm.

March against Monsanto - Oct 2nd 2013 (6).jpg