May 8, 2007

Dear Friends,

Several districts have swung into action – raising strong voices against the proposed amendments.

Mahila Samakhya Karnataka reports that over 41,000 signatures have been collected from Bidar, Bijapur, Bellary, Bagalkot, Gulberga, Mysore, Chamaraja Nagar, Raichur, Koppal, Belgaum and Gadag against the proposed amendment. Members of Grama Sabhas are meeting their respective MLAs and have received confirmations from some of them that they will vote against the amendment if the Governor returns it to the Assembly for re-consideration.

In Bijapur the members of the Mahila Sanghas have met and discussed the issue with their respective MLAs in three blocks. The MLAs have agreed to support their stand. This assurance has apparently been given in writing by the MLAs to the women. Several women have signed the petition that will be submitted to the DC, tahsildars, etc. About twelve NGOs met today to further disseminate the information.

In Koppal about 250 women took a procession to the DCs office who met them half way and assured his support to them. They have submitted the petition to the DC, who told them to give one to the CEO as well. They plan to meet their MLA, Mr Roy Reddy, on 10th of May^. Similar action has been planned in Raichur, Bellary, Bagalkot. In Bijapur about 1000 women are likely to get together on the 11 ^th to protest against the "attempt to centralise decision making that is directly contradictory to the decentralised nature of our democracy".

Singamma Sreenivasan Foundation has written in that several elected women representatives have been contacted and the information has been shared with them. A rally is being organised in Bijapur as a protest against the bill, and  the memorandum will  be submitted to DC.

CWC’s programme in Kundapur reports that representatives of 56 Panchayats, following their protest rally last week, have conducted a press conference to brief the media about their strong reservations against the proposed amendment. They have informed the press that they are forming links with like-minded federations and forums in other parts of the States. Several special Grama Sabhas have been conducted in this Taluk where resolutions have been passed against this proposed amendment and sent to the Governor. The federation is also planning a gathering in Bangalore that will bring together representatives from various districts to meet the Honourable Governor, the MLAs  and the media.

In addtion, two protests are being carried out today and tomorrow - one in Karkala and one in Kundapur by representatives of Panchayats and members of Grama Sabhas.

Today's papers report a statement by Karnataka's home minister that The ministers and legislators are likely to be excluded while granting suo motu powers to the Lokayukta. This is one of the matters that is likely to figure in the next meeting of the State cabinet. It appears that this is one more serious attempt to shirk accountability and transparency in state governance. Please send us your considered opinions on this matter.

We also have a few media updates in support of our campaign. Udaya Vani carried a Kannada Article on the issue by Nandana Reddy and Damodar Acharya. 

Articles have also appeared in the Deccan Herald and The Hindu. It is indeed a good sign that some sections of the mainstream media are beginning to pay attention to this matter.

For all background information and updates regarding our Movement, please do look up our website: www.workingchild.org in the section – ‘what is new’ – and you may direct all enquiries regarding our progress to this link.  

We are eager to receive more news and updates from all of you. As Asha Ramesh wrote in, ‘More power to our movement’! 

In solidarity,

Kavita Ratna

 

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