GBGB - Dadar 3
Director: HM Chandrasekhar
Duration: 00:54:05; Aspect Ratio: 1.778:1; Hue: 72.105; Saturation: 0.028; Lightness: 0.444; Volume: 0.399; Cuts per Minute: 3.642; Words per Minute: 122.271
Summary: On January 19th, 2009, the first Annual General Body Meeting (GBM) of Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan was held at Ambedkar Bhawan, Dadar. Slum-dwellers from more than 20 slums across Mumbai participated. Activists from cities like Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Bijapur turned up to express their solidarity and support the struggle of Mumbai's slum-dwellers.
Speakers spoke about the rights of slum dwellers, the overall political situation in the country and the loot that has been unleashed by corporates and politicians in the name of development. Everyone underlined the need for a more decentralised and democratised decision-making process.
During the GBM, slum dwellers who were present elected their representatives who would work on issues related to housing, education, food security, land rights and other concerns. The election was on the basis of consensus and ended with a resolve to intensify the struggle to make Mumbai a more inclusive city.
Ambedkar Bhavan
Dadar
Medha Patkar: They were driven away... when two months back there was a firing there, I had been there and in a meeting of thousands ands thousands of tribes we had given them a warning. After that Arvindbhai went there on the last 24th and he also gave a warning that Shibu Sorenji if you create a tension between the tribal people and the companies... if you try to snatch away their land forcefully then we will not move... there wont be displaced tribals... they will give their life but not their land. Sorenji if you're willing to give your position only then should you talk about companies or your going to go and Shibu Sorenji has left.(Applause). It's a very sad thing that the minister who made Jharkhand stable... who once announced that is why when I went,
Medha Patkar
Medha Patkar: I went to Ranchi and met him, he even welcomed us after listening to our point he said I will not take away the lands of people but when he went to a local meeting in that area and said why did she come from Maharashtra and why is she advising us. See, we had not gone to advice them but to support the tribals and be it Raj Thackerey or Shibu Soren nobody could stop anybody from Maharashtra to go there. So also they couldn't and won't be able to stop anybody from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh or Ahemadabad coming here. So this is the point of (?), on one hand a few people occupying a position in politics... our sister and brother Shabana and Shakeel are constantly in the process of revealing their secrets.
Medha Patkar: Even we are in the process of revealing their secrets but on the other hand those living on their respective lands and the land on which the settlements are situated... be it of Kandivali, Ambujwadi or Mandalay. Our question is that will he have authority over his own settlement or not? Otherwise everybody will not be able to sit on one position... everybody will plead and cry just for a position and in that it's power, the settlements power, it's neighbourhood power, power over land and water, the power to take your own decisions will be lost even this shouldn't happen that is why associates this process is a new kind of politics. The Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan is a politics to heal the spoilt relationship between the government and the public.
Medha Patkar: It knows the "Narmada Bachao, Desh Bachao, Sabarmati Bachao or Bangalore Bachao protests and we are not standing and begging to be saved. We are saying that if we save ourselves then your police and bulldozers aren't going to be effective. You save your power, your government who will come begging for votes on our doorsteps in a few months, we are going to challenge them. How are we going to give this challenge? Ravindrabhau from Netaji Nagar and even aunty will come and say that some civil servant, some authority or police, as if they aren't humans...is giving some warnings, some notice. Some shops in Ambujwadi were demolished, so even there the government is trying to make an environment there.but all of us making all our country wide associates as witness..
Medha Patkar: We are sitting here to give them a warning and challenge keeping our countrywide associates as witness. Let them remember that in the term Of Vilas Rao Deshmukh, when 75,000 settlements were crushed... people were treated as bugs and worms after which the Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan was born... after which this slogan was shouted from Azad Maidan... after which such a big struggle has been fought by men under the leadership of women. Our youth associates brought not only enthusiasm through their songs and poetries but gave a challenge and took a challenge. For Shabana Maniar it was fatal, 200 were injured by lathi charges but we took over 88 acres of land in Ambujwadi and Mandalay and at the same time gave a message to the government that at least in Mumbai people will take their own rights.
Medha Patkar: Will take our rights today, tomorrow or day after and on the same basis, many settlements are settled and many have prepared to reside.
Off screen: Raise a cry!(Twice)
Audience: We are one.(Twice)
Off screen: Female power has risen and has brought a new light.(Twice).(Audience repeats twice).
Medha Patkar: The associates from Mandala will forgive us, Indira Nagar associates will forgive us that we haven't been able to settle their slums till today. Our minds are on the land where the MMRDA chairman Chandrashekhar has gone to an Andhra Pradesh party... a crime on the collector of Mumbai and it's officials...
Medha Patkar: Simpreetbhai and Y.P. slogged and the Shivaji Nagar had to agree that the shopkeepers from the banks of the Mithi river are shifted to Mandalay, people from Mandalay are thrown somewhere else and it's a crime, it's illegal and violation is theirs not ours and alongside the petition filed for the crime... the land of Mandalay is open and we have it in our minds... where we are going to settle.(Applause).and even if Ambujwadi has been demolished, the police and administration should understand that again the poor in Mumbai will stand... together against the metro yard... together for the street vendors to small shopkeepers... together the labourers will stand associated.
Medha Patkar: And we will say that that we will not be quiet till we move Mumbai and the government. So, today's the time, the meeting and the convention in which we want to give a warning that we will not see anything else... if according to the government we become terrorists... then we will not sing praises of the people who killed the 200 people in the hotel Taj but if thousands of families and lacs and lacs of murders of the poor are being committed by those sitting in the authority making big laws then we will not sit quiet but wage a war against that terrorism.
We don't fight these wars with guns or AK-47 but we use feminine power, child power, youth power, the power of unity of the settlements... we bring everything to the front like Pathanbhai said that we might climb on the bulldozers or go below it ... even lay down under it but we face that.
Medha Patkar: Going to jail is not a big thing... when the flags are hoisted today... they will be hoisted on 26th January at that time 90,000 people had gone to jail under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, so in Mumbai even if lacs of people need to go to jail wont we go? we want this answer today... How big and huge the jail is (twice)
Audience: We have seen and we will see.(twice)
Medha Patkar: Till we have to go to jails.(twice)
Audience: We will come and go.(twice)
Medha Patkar: With this preparation we have to move forward this meeting because we know that we have made a promise of making 3000 houses in Mandalay.
Medha Patkar: It's not only our application... not our announcement, we have given that ... it's a government policy and we didn't make it but making houses is our job because any government or builder doesn't make houses.Our construction workers make houses... who walk with pots of cement on their head... a law has just been made for them... Rajinder Raviji, Raju Bhiseji we had put a strength of 1000 to stay in buildings and the law was made which gave pension of Rs.200. So what can we beg to such a beggar government, we will say this and agree not ask that we know that houses that are to be made... we can build them ourselves.We just need land and the rights on land because we have a right on houses, a right to shelter.
Medha Patkar: The right to live without house and shelter given to us by Babasaheb, we can't receive that and that is why we will take all these rights together and will take... will take. (Applause) This same point has been put forward on the banks of the Mithi river, Dewan builder who we meet in Orissa... who we meet in Bengal... in Andhra Pradesh. This was a plot of Dewan builders that Mithi river be taken up by Reliance and Ambani and proved that it's not a river but a sewer and then add that Mumbai is joint with this and is drowning. So shouting out as save the rivers they are planning to annex the lands, that is why the Indira Nagar slums have become desolate.
Medha Patkar: Ratnakar Gaikwad has become the MMRDA chairman. He is not joint with MMRDA like the MMRDA was joint before. After our case came ahead and before going to the court Ratnakar Gaikwadji slapped a charge of Rs.3 crore as punishment because at the rate of 40ps/acre poor Hiranandani was given land by government officials themselves but Ratnakar Gaikwadji understood that Hiranandaniji's point is against the law and that is why MMRDA fined him for Rs.3 crore, it's not a big thing... they earned a profit of 3000 crore or 300 crore I am not aware as I haven't accounted that.Nobody did till today... Hiranandani
ji's proper account. So our point after paying Rs. 2000, that if your giving the land to the poor builders at the rate of 40ps/acre, so then we are hard working people and we earn and aren't poor.
Medha Patkar: That is why give us land at the rate of Rs.40/ acre not for 80 years we die in 50 years... give it to us for 50 years in Mandalay. So listen in this manner the land on the banks of the Mithi river or any other land. Even today we know that it's a plot of the builders to annex the land and opposing that if the MMRDA starting with 92 families in Indira Nagar if the appropriate people aren't given land then we will have to encompass MMRDA... we have to announce the preparation for which in this meeting.(Applause) Indira Nagar is not alone to encompass the MMRDA, our brothers and sisters who were driven away under the name of the metro have also come here prepared.
Medha Patkar: I have seen a few sisters here who haven't got used to raising their hands and shouting slogans, they feel who will it look if my blouse is torn somewhere but today they've raised their hands like NazreenRagdawali, Anwari,Ayesha and even our aunts. So, even they are raising their hands and our shouting with Nirmala... with Pushpa somewhere... with Veena somewhere... that even we are ready to stand against MMRDA... demolish metro yard and save the settlements(thrice)(Audience repeats) So what is MMRDA?... On one hand Ratnaji Gaikwad registers a crime on Hiranandani and ask him for a fine of crores of rupees and on the other hand are demolishing the settlements... how should we understand this? what should we understand? we have to ask them this and challenge them and we will.
Medha Patkar: So in the name of Mumbai the increasing area which the MMRDA Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority has taken under his wings... it's share is going to increase... it has increased till Panvel and will go further than Pen... here it increased till Dahisar now it has gone up to Virar. So try to understand the point which Arvindbhai has made... they have swallowed 995 villages, they didn't ask the villages whether they wanted to live in the village areas or they would want to become a part of the slums settled on the banks of the city's sewers and when we encompassed the MMRDA in 1995 then the MMRDA had to arrange hearings in the villages. So what the people say today on the banks of the river Narmada, river Sabarmati the same thing is being said by those on the banks of the Mithi river, Metro rail and the same thing by our unity...
Medha Patkar: As Mumbai is increasing, even our unity... our strength is increasing and a big challenged is being faced by the government and will be faced by the government, even this is the matter under Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan... so are we ready to give a challenge with this kind of unity.(Audience replies positively)
On every piece of land ... in every corner of Mumbai... flowing from the dirty sewers or water flowing from the taps... there should not be a right of any company, World Bank, politician or any business shouldn't work... it will be our right and our business for which we need to fight a long struggle. Starting from Metro yard we reached the metro, if they would have spoken of removing the metro yard from the settlement, then we wouldn't have revealed the secrets of the metro...
Medha Patkar: But if they don't take the metro yard on an open ground... all of them will be charged for the murders of those who will be run over by the bull dozer's and the metro rails and they will not keep quiet.Now we want to reveal all the secrets of the metro rail and even today we are giving a warning that if the metro yard is not removed from the settlement then we will protest in the whole of Mumbai against the Metro.(Applause)and... and we will tell them what is the metro? Arvindbhai spoke about the the laying off of metro in America and Rajinderji who is studying the laws and policies of this transport, who has been awarded for writing books on them... the Delhi officials listen to him and Sheila Dixit makes a different bus corridor after listening to him... and propagates it in the elections.
Medha Patkar: Rajendrabhai also spoke about Delhi... the people from there come to Delhi and can't stay in settlements now... sleep on footpaths... and don't have the money to go back. So the sister stays at a place and the brother... husband stays at another place... the profession of prostitution is increasing this reality was put in front of us with a heavy heart by Rajendraji and Rawatji... so think that this a question of life and death... and when the unity of in numerous poor people who are or will be driven away by the metro when added to our unity of the poor settlements... when Chandrashekharji, Yadav master, Tewariji and our sisters who have come here today... have become the movement's associates. So according to me while saying Save the houses, make the houses... Save the land and make land... Save Mumbai, Make Mumbai these slogans of ours are going to keep on increasing.
Medha Patkar: The struggle opposing the SRA(Slum Rehabilitation Authority) societies... the 26 societies which have put on the shoulders of the Movement, we know this fight... the corruption of these societies... Arvindbhai... if the question of settling one slum is started there will be a corruption from Rs. 5 crores to 50 crores... our Pravin Yerunkar brought it to light... either the corruption stops completely or the people who aren't going to get houses from inside get them. So there is no point begging while talking about displacement and rehabilitation... this is being said by our associates from all around and we will make... we will keep forward our rights is being said. Our Banda Thakarji, Savleji and Dombetai have come here...
Medha Patkar: Near Pune... 30 years back... 40 years back and some 6 times 100 years back... where Arvindbhai and Y.P.Singh have already been... associates from there have come, they aren't rehabilitated till today and their struggle that we are fighting with our National People's Convention whose example which they are not keeping in this meeting... but there they have done a strong movement and made TATA bow down... Our Bholeji who's land has been annexed by Amitabh Bachan... our Bandyabhau have opened the secrets of some artists and are taking the movement forward. Associates keep in mind that our matter is not only about Displacement and Rehabilitation...
Medha Patkar: Our point is that the builders shouldn't treat Mumbai as their estate, it should be made the support of our living... not the estate of builders(twice)
Audience: Mumbai is ours.
Medha Patkar: It's not the estate of builders.
Audience: Mumbai is ours.
Medha Patkar: And this Mumbai is being settled, run, constructed... people of the settlements are living. So anybody must have come from anywhere... from Latur like the Chief Ministers come... one hard working person also comes... some Dalit widow female comes... Some Aunty or sister comes here with her art but after coming here she's giving her hard work at a cheap rate to Mumbai.
Medha Patkar: So she has a right to water, it should not be given to water companies... her least right is of electricity and her right is of education and health as well.That is why we are increasing Primary schools with Mehunbhai... life schools started at Narmada Ghats have even come to Mumbai... and we... be it Municipality schools... somewhere Shatabdi Hospitals... we are going to start from today to keep an eye on the corruption happening in these places through the Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Movement and we have even decided the way this will happen. in the month of June, the talk on rationing which Sonubehen, Santoshbhai, Mahuryaji... somewhere else Ram Ratanji... who join Dayashankarji and move ahead.
Medha Patkar : If there is even little corruption in the settlements then we stop the work from the movement's side... which I don't stop but people from the settlements say if there is corruption within us then we don't want rationing. But when somebody makes a ration card at the rate of Rs.22... when some worker can do this... then our strength increases and we decide that in Municipality schools or a dilapidated clinic, even there we shall fight against corruption and we discussed our ways at Azad Maidan, our way wont be of felony but of flocking opposite felony... this will be our way. We will not go alone to the ration office... we will not go alone in a hospital... we will go with a crowd... Amravati will go with a crowd to the clinic... Sister Ayesha will go with a crowd to the rationing office...
Medha Patkar: The people suffering from Metro will go with a big crowd to the MMRDA office, then the right conversation will happen and the dispute between the government and us will be solved permanently...otherwise this wont happen... and that is why... today all of the members of the Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan have united together... there are at least a 10-100 people behind every member who are their family members, settlement members who haven't reached here but when every member makes their card... puts their badge... today Simpreet has made temporary badges... our movement is not so temporary... they will have to make permanent badges quickly .
Medha Patkar: We will happily pay Rs.5 but even I have no badge left... so should I laugh or cry I don't understand. It's very necessary... that we take this whole thing forward... from the lane here to the World Bank that gives money who had to stop the MUTP money... their panel had come to see... information committee... we had gone in front of them, they had stopped the finance of the Narmada project in 1993... the same panel, the same committee of the world bank came to Mumbai. Even here when we went in front of them, they said the Narmada matter has come even here. So we stopped the finance but they have started funding again... but the MUTP shopkeepers .... are still there today . They have not moved yet because the information committee has given an answer supporting us.
Medha Patkar: So, associates please understand the length of our struggle... I will not say anything else but when our associate Simpreetbhai said " When the Kosi river changed it's path, reached there". Rajarambhai who we felicitated in the settlement on 3rd January... Atifbhai who took his poetry and songs, his luggage was thrown away by the police guards... they tried to throw Lal babu out... at that time Laluprasadji suspended the guard and called up the associates and asked them for forgiveness and even asked the DM to apologise.(Applause) This is also a matter of declaration of the movement... it's also the matter of the ethics of the movement and when the movement's associate reached to help the desolate of the Kosi river... the work that is going on there even today...
Medha Patkar: Which is happening in every area... happening in Purnia... is happening in Adhipura and Supaul where the associates of Arvindbhai are connected. They have filed a case in the court... our Amulyabhai and Sanjaybhai, Vijaybhai are there. So we find it necessary that if even here someone gets attacked... anyone is attacked, then we will not sit in our settlements... our settlements... our rule. This point doesn't work there... if any settlement is attacked we will run and reach there wont we? the protest wants this answer... will we reach there? (Applause)(Audience replies positively) Will we accept that we are members of the Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan...
Medha Patkar: From somewhere the rickshaw driver Dasharath will reach there and Salimbhai will reach there with his taxi and Ayesha who'll be selling fruits
some where will reach there and Sharifbhai keeps on giving lifts on the motorbike. So instead of calling me they should reach there and support the settlement. will this happen or not?(Audience replies positively).Today even the Metro yard people who don't take a meeting with less than 5000, they will take a similar strength and save the other settlements... then even their settlements will be saved. So this is the future plan of action associates and when we reach Kosi or when you'll come to the Narmada Ghats... you reach the mountains... organise a rally in Delhi... we have to organise dharnas and rallies throughout the year but this work of supporting each other.
Medha Patkar: One work, To stop an attack on every person... to create a crowd for our rights and what Arvindbhai has said for which there is a special meeting in Mumbai... in which a few of our chosen representatives will go to Tata Institute of Social Sciences... Anna Hazare will come... former chief secretary of Madhya Pradesh and many big personalities and intellectuals are going to come ... there is going to be no politician and we are going to sit and think about our laws for the slums and we have to take this forward and if all this has to be done, our association has to be made in a very systematic manner and now I am going to say the same thing briefly because even our guests are tired and the singers are ready but it's not only about songs and slogans, all our associates have motivated us.
Medha Patkar : And in tomorrow's meeting many programs are there tomorrow like the journey of the Metro revelation wont we take it forward Chandrashekarji? The journey of metro revelation... the revelations of metro should move forward, we are with you. We in the coming Lok Sabha in Delhi, when Parlaiment will be held, Arvindbhai, Rajinder Raviji, Bhupendra Rawatji,I insist to them that a session should be taken there, so whatever will be decided tomorrow can be taken for public hearing over there. If this public hearing takes place in Delhi, we can take a public hearing on the Nagar Raj or better name would be Basti Raj here which will be atleast four times much larger then here today. So we are ready... if in the 3rd or 4th week of February before the Parliament is over, if you plan to raise a cry in Delhi... so our associates are willing to go to Delhi and will see the metro there.
Medha Patkar: and will also meet the settlements in Delhi and will raise our point before the parliament, Delhi parties before the Lok Sabha elections and then invite them to our settlements, we are ready to take the challenge.will we do this? are you'll ready? It takes such a long time to come here from Malad... but ot wont work if it takes time to reach Delhi... for which Laluji should be requested for a special train... so many people will go ... so now we will in the coming programs... will do no more program... Thousands and thousands of letters... the Chief Minister is new... like we wrote one letter today on which every settlement, every SRA,Vendors development association which is ours, the policie of vendors have to be followed.
Medha Patkar: That is decided not only by Narendrabhai but also by all of us and the people from the banks of the Mithi river and Metro yard... everybody has forgotten the name Sanjay Nagar, Ekta Nagar and it has become Metro yard Nagar but all the people of these settlements... will sign as Head Representative and in the coming 8 days... listen, in the coming 8 days, every sister who's listening.. every sister, brother by making the kid and brother write atleast one letter should go to Chief Minister Ashokraoji Chavan and maybe even the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. How many people here can afford 2 cars? can you afford 5 postcards? how many of you'll can afford that?ok! then we will send 5 post cards.
Medha Patkar: One to the Chief Minister... one to the Prime Minister, one to the MMRDA Chairman Ratnakar Gaikwadji... one to Sonia Gandhi and the fifth to the President Pratibhatai Patil. Will we send?
Audience: We will send.
Medha Patkar: Will everybody send?
Audience: Yes.
Medha Patkar: What issues will you write ? All the issues in the movement will be written. 'I will write my issue, my house is broken' this should not happen... we will write each others issues and we will write about everybody's right and rule... are we prepared?
Audience: Yes.
Medha Patkar: This is a true movement... which makes a letter... a letter becomes the weapon and when rally's are organised... yatra's are organised have to participate with all our strength and for which we have called Sunitibehen over here... who knows the work of the association better then me... if the association has to be systematic it should have a small constitution. The purpose of our association... we have spoken a lot about it now but after that they are a few... the purpose of our association... we have 21 purposes... the programs of our association will be of violence or non- violence, will be true or false
Audience: Will be about truth.
Medha Patkar: Will it be about violence or Non- violence?
Audience: Non-violence.
Medha Patkar: What do the people of Metro Yard want to say about this?
Audience: Non-violence.
Medha Patkar: How will our work progress? will females be scared or be upfront?
Audience: Upfront.
Medha Patkar: Will he youth be active or elders like us ?
Audience: The youth will be ahead.
Medha Patkar: Except our programs... how will we deal with money? will we have corruption in the slums? Arvind bhai we will reveal the secrets of the government's corruption... Employment Committee which after listening to Dayashankarji and Begum... after seeing the bag everybody feels... they've seen Nazreen's bag... Khaala's bag... even we want to make.
Medha Patkar: So the Employment Committee... one will be Independant worker's committee...all these committee's will be there... in which one will be settlement education committee, right to ration committee and police are not needed... poor fellows are sitting out here and get so tired... nobody even looks at them. We would not like to trouble them in our settlements and we will make our settlement protection committee like people from Narmada Ghats stopped people from coming on the day of Holi. So these matters will be there and then...are the women ready?
Audience: Yes.
Medha Patkar: for alcohol prohibition committee... today let it be... let there be some intoxication of the movement. So these will be the committees of the settlements...
Medha Patkar: There will be a township development committee and will be made for different settlements, the representatives of the township development committee will also be of the Metro Yard Struggle Committee... they will be of SRA struggle committee as well... those affected by the airport project are going home and going somewhere else to their houses... they will be of vendors development organisation and their representatives and representatives of township development committee and from every committee will have an executive committee. Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan will have it'd executive committee... is it right? Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao(Twice) Audience repeats.
Medha Patkar: This committee will have many associates like Shakeelbhai from Nirbhay Bano Andolan(be fearless movement), Ninabhen from Apnalay(ours) but she hasn't come here, Amitbhai Maru who fights against the laws and rules, a struggling associate, our Y.P. Singhsaheb, Amitabh Bhideji from (?), Shailesh Gandhiji was here... we have many such associates... Parveenbhen, who got us sewing machines... our Shashibhen... film-maker Anand Patwardhanji, Ramdas Bhatkalji... all thse people... our Madhuribhen, they all are going to be there... all these people are going to be in our consultant committee... do you agree? don't we need such people... those sharp, the one who teach, intelligent minded people.
Medha Patkar: In Nandigram when 80,000 such people came on the roads in Kolkata... won the struggle of Nandigram... so isn't this important ?is. but before this our matter... the matter of choosing the representatives of our settlements should be totally systematic...so what should we do today? we should give (?) for a minute... what should we do today? is everybody listening? the audoence should keep silence and raise your hands and say we are listening... Raise a cry!
Audience: We are one.
Medha Patkar: Amitabh Bhideji who I called out now... without looking at him has come here from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences... we are calling him on stage... with the acceptance of Muktabhen... we are not going to stay without calling Sunitibhen on stage.We would like to welcome both of them with a big round of applause.(Applause)
Medha Patkar: Our associates,Ramratanbhai, paintersaheb who work day and night to paint these banners come from Mandala to work here... who are going to put up the papers of the committee about what's going to be the term of the committee... what will be their work... they will stand here and there with them... So these are going to be our committees... who will be there in the committee... be it Township development committee or the executive committee... if Simpreetbhai gave us the copy of our resolution it would be a nice thing.This resolution is going to be put up in the settlements... so that every sister of ours worrying about her children...
Medha Patkar: Should be a person living with simplicity and not someone who will loot others. Our member will believe the movement and will follow the rules.is it right? Our member... who takes money in the name of the movement will keep an account of it and will write about it on the board put up in the settlements. Our associate will not be an alcoholic neither male nor female... our member will be the one who will take part in mutual discussion and will not abuse... not male and females don't abuse... will not use the name of the movement for his personal benefits... is it right? Our members will not cut trees, steal water... make such a well that the remaining wells in the neighbourhood dry up will not do such work.is it right?
Medha Patkar: Our member will respect women in their houses and settlements... isn't it right? Female power has come, has got a new power(twice) (Audience repeats twice) this has to be specially told to the males... our member will understand all the issues of the movement... will read all the papers... study them and will work according to them... will not talk much and our member will work to see that no alcohol is brought in our programs... our member will not hold any position in a political party... he can be a member and if he holds a position he will not hold any position in the movement... our member will pledge to follow the Indian Constitution truthfully but will oppose wrong laws and wil break them... and will save his settlement and country.
Medha Patkar: Is it right? Are we ready? should I add one more that he will be willing to go to jail... should I add ?(Audience replies positively) So we want to choose such members, today we have to do only one thing... Sunitibhen will read a few clauses of the constitution... after which as per the clauses... in every settlement... Ambujwadi... listen carefully and let us know if any name is left behind... Ambujwadi, Mandala, Sathe Nagar, Indira Nagar, Netaji Nagar, Rafique Nagar, have people from Khar footpath come... people from Mahakali Nagar... any body left
Audience: Laljipada.
Medha Patkar: No, Laljipada comes in Metro didn't I tell you that your name has only become metro, I told you just now... forget Lalji... from Colaba... So in how many settlements do we have members? Our total membership has reached from about 8- 8,500... the registration for vendors development association is going on...membership of SRA societies is done... hundreds of people are becoming members and the registration for Metro yard is yet to be done but have taken up membership and leadership. How many representatives from these settlements have to be chosen today... the names that I have read out today... Ekta Nagar comes in Ambujwadi.
Medha Patkar: Or is it different? if it's Ekta Nagar there will be a Babarekar Nagar as well... these are all old names of Nagars that were demolished... now let Ambujwadi be. In this there will be in every area... Tulsiwadi... every person in these settlements will sit close by now. Sister will sit and brothers will sit, Sisters from Ambujwadi will choose names of 5 sisters... sisters from Mandala will also choose the name of 5 sisters, who they think can be representatives. Brothers of Mandala and Ambujwadi will also sit together and choose names of 5 brothers per area who can become representatives. These are 2 big slums under which Babarekar Nagar, Ekta Nagar, everything comes... Mandala has people from Rafique Nagar... some from Old Mandala... Indira Nagar... Janta Nagar... so all together if Mandala doesn't become one... then there will never be a new change.
Medha Patkar: Why Mrs isn't this right? So Ambujwadi and Mandala should submit the names of 5 brothers and sisters today itself... it's not a big election but for a few days... it's till the settlement development committee is made.understood, so it's not necessary to worry or fight... themselves will say not me you'll should be... but the one who's not caught for corruption before and can do work for people as an idol, who can bring everybody together and everything else... who have strength, such brothers should be chosen. People from Sathe Nagar should also choose 5 brothers and 5 sisters... Are the people of Sathe Nagar ready? Are they ready? Indira Nagar is small... Is Sharifbhai around? choose 2 brothers and 2 sisters, Netaji Nagar... where is Ravindrabhai?Ravindrabhai from Netaji Nagar?... Ravindra Gaikwad... choose 2 brothers and 2 sisters.
Medha Patkar: If people from Rafique Nagar have come in a large number will choose 2 brothers and two sisters.People from Khar footpath will choose 2 brothers and 2 sisters, brothers will choose brothers, sisters will choose sisters. It will be nice if Sumeetbhai and Sureshbhai from SRA come forward... Sumeetbhai, Sureshbhai and Hyderbhai... if Pravinbhai has come even he can come forward... everybody together from the joint SRA societies... will chose the names of 5 brothers and 5 sisters, if ready or choose the names of 5 brothers. Where there are no chances of the metro coming , such an area of Laljipada will choose 5 brothers and 5 sisters.
Medha Patkar: The associates of Vendors development association... as the registeration is not complete, this responsibility is on Husseinbhai and Haiderbhai to choose 2 brothers and 2 sisters and the Youth Batch... Atikbhai, Shrirambhai there are many associates of the youth batch even they will choose their 3 associates because we don't see any females. So we will choose four rather then 3 associates and the Associates of Sakhi Nav-Nirman who are associated here with Nasreenbhen and over there with Dayashankar bhai they will also come together and choose 4 brothers because only sisters are working,4 sisters are to be chosen this respomsibility is given to Nasreenbhen and Dayashankarji...so 4 sisters will be chosen from the Sakhi Nav-Nirman.
Medha Patkar: We have to choose these many people now the rest of NAPM, YUVA, Shehar Vikas Manch, Nidar bano Andolan,ICHR all these will be in the executive committee or consulting committee, is it right? Now those leaving now will be out of the elections...don't leave now and we are giving you'll a time of half an hour... Sunitibhen will read a small constitution, after which people from a settlement should sit among themselves and talk. Women from Ambujwadi will sit ahead or from Mandala are sitting here... women from Mandala should sit here be3hind them Ambujwadi, behind them Sathe Nagar and after them Indira Nagar and Khar footpath. understood?
Medha Patkar: Women from Mandal will sit here, then Ambujwadi,then Sathe Nagar, is everybody listening...then Ekta Nagar, Indira Nagar. I am ending my talk here but before that we start the organisation and start the process, everybody has to wait and not leave... after which names will be called out and the constitution will be read out... first we'll shout out slogans loudly... sit wherever you are... you don't need to stand and those who will shout slogans... some brothers and sisters. We are(Twice)
Audience: One.(twice)
Medha Patkar: We would like to thank all the guests but before taking the process ahead will listen to the constitution...if you sit quietly then can we talk...
Medha Patkar: you'll haven't been told to get up. Zarina and all others please sit there. We will shout slogans twice and shout. We'll fight(twice)
Audience: We'll win(twice).
Suniti: The constitution of the Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan id divided into four subjects, first subject is it's background, the second subject is our purpose, our creating an organisation and the fourth is our strength: public strength and functioning because now all our speakers and Medhabhen has put the background in front of you'll and instead of reading that again the last part which is creating the association, our strength; public strength and functioning... I will read that in two minutes.
Suniti: So that when we are completing the voting process, we have to keep these things in mind...
Off screen: All the associates making noise please keep silence...Ashakala... and those standing please sit down. All the people taking people be silent.Raise a cry!
Audience: We are one. So please be quiet
Suniti: So.. like I said before the background and purpose wont be read out only creating the association, our strength; public strength and functioning written in the constitution and the reason is that when the members who are choosing representatives... so who should we choose and what is the work is said in it in the written form.
Suniti: Our creating the association, personal membership with I-card and Badge. Every settlement should have township development committee and right to reside and right to rationing, child education, health, female power, employment committee,water, electricity, sanitation, etc.. committees.The second issue is SRA struggle committee, vendor development association, metro struggle committee and Sakhi Nav-Nirman. The third issue is Public Workers Association for unprotected workers and co-ordination with other associations and then...
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