Biggest trade union protest in last 20 years
Akhilesh Suman
London, 26 March.
Those in India who vouch for the West for guidance on economic policies must feel stunned on turn out of people on London Streets on Saturday to protest against governments policies to cut jobs and benefits to the people they were enjoying till now.
Rough estimates say the strength of the protesters is around 4 lakh and it is the second biggest after a protest against Iraq war in 2003. This correspondent was also present in London and had participated the march in 2003.
The protest march on London organised by Trade Union Congress (TUC) comprised of all sections of society including the bureaucrats who too are scared of their loosing retirement benefits and grip over economic dynamics of the country. Teachers, nurses, midwives, National Health System (NHS) workers, Local council and other public sector workers were joined by students, pensioners and direct action supporters, bringing the centre of the capital to a standstill.
Estimates say that unemployment became 30 percent higher when Gordan Brown was Chancellor (finance minister).
The protestors also violently attacked the restaurants and Hotel windows that are run by private magnets of the British economy. Banks and stores in Oxford Street were also targeted by the anti-cuts group UK Uncut.
Local people are calling it the biggest union-organised event since last 20 years saw more than 800 buses and dozens of trains hired to bring people to London. This caused many travellors to London who would otherwise have chosen to come to the British capital at the weekend.
The protestors coming from different parts of Britain including Scotland and Northern Ireland were heard speaking for their communities.
The speakers in the rally that took place in historic Hyde Park lamented that they would found alternative to brutal spending cuts which have already led to the threat of 170,000 council job losses and another 50,000 elsewhere in the public sector.
With over 50,000 job cuts already in the pipeline – nurses, doctors, physios, midwives – in the name of so-called efficiency savings of £20bn, the NHS is in worst situation since its inception.
‘It is like destroying what has taken generations to build. Let's be brutally clear about these brutal cuts. They're going to cost jobs on a huge scale – adding to the misery of the 2.5 million people already on the dole,’ a speaker at the rally said.
‘Every month when a library closes, a care home shuts its doors, or services for struggling young people are withdrawn, I want them to feel the fear, and anger of the people who have come here today from every part of the UK to vent their frustration and to stand up for a fairer future,’ another speaker added.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Arab world shows there in no end of history Youth are agents of change; liberalization is not the last word in human economy
Akhilesh Suman
After Francis Fukuyama wrote his famous treatise as “End of History and the Last Man”, there was an all pervasive gloom among the intellectuals of the world as if way market values were going to rule the mind, heart and human passion. They felt what Fukuyama was arguing also meant end of human dream, end of ideological polemic and politics will lastly converge to the western liberal democracy as the final form of human government.
Based on Hegelian “upside-down” political dynamics, what Fukuyama’s principles missed was the further dynamics in western liberal democracy itself. Western liberal democracy that was once known for running a system of `Welfare Capitalism’ under which basic health and education were ensured by the state, now they turning into “crony capitalism” and individual human rights have become subordinate to the approach towards countering terrorism.
If Fukuyama remembers, western liberal democracy that was once burying its imperialist past, it is reinventing itself in semi-colonial mode to adopt `soft imperialism’. Liberal face of western democracy was largely exposed during Iraq invasion and it would not be prudent to say that buck stops there only.
Liberal face of Western democracy was necessitated due to challenge from Communist’s campaign right from mid-nineteenth century against the system of capitalism, but after collapse of Soviet Union, alienation of Cuba and growth of State capitalism in China, the ‘liberals’ went awry to move into same old conservative and crony capitalist mode. They prescribed contract system in employment, hire & fire policy in jobs and forced minimum staff in Governments even in populated countries. But instead of naming it ‘hard’, ‘harsh’ or ‘tough’ economy, they befooled the audience by saying it liberalization. Amazingly, knowing well the nature and scope of the so called liberalization, even the economists like Amartya Sen did not oppose the deceptive nomenclature of such a brutal financial system. Thus the foundation of western liberal democracy had been removed from the governance and they felt people will be intoxicated in the glitter of market and advertisement driven consumerism.
After the collapse of USSR, it was understood that the youth will go to market and forget other concerns. American playwright Arthur Miller had said once, “Earlier when they (youth) were angry, they went to church or for revolution, but now they go to market.” About Arab also, there was the same understanding – either they will go to Mosque or to market. Laden and Terrorism affairs took place in between and the last hope of change in Arab world was over.
But mosque and market stopped working overtime for the crony capitalists and it precipitated till the last quarter of 2010. The youth started campaign on internet and netizens who were understood to be least concerned about things in the world, came out in open from Tehrir Square to Libyan cities to force oust the despots. All of these Arabian rulers might not tyrants but they all were not ready out ready to share their power with people.
When Egyptian crisis was evolving Indian foreign secretary Nirupama Rao rightly hinted towards the lopsided growth is Arab world. In the age of liberalization, the expectation of people has increased and failing in fulfilling the expectations might be the reason of current unrest in Egypt, she had said.
How exact and precise was Ms. Rao! Truly speaking Liberalization is increasing the expectation of all, but fulfilling the expectation of few. The anger and anguish lead with frustration and getting no ventilation mechanism burst the bubble. Religious sentiments and loyalty to the West too did not work and people were dancing on roads to have a taste of democracy.
The youth is alike, in Arab, in Asia, in Europe, in America! They are the agents of change. It hardly matters which profession they are in. They are watching. They will come when the others fail. They may not essentially belong to political parties, but they are of unaware of politics.
What I mean to say that there in no end of history. Society evolves itself to create another page in the book to keep the change alive, the water flowing and air blowing. Those who adhere on empiricist explanation of end of history should take a lesson from Tunisia where population lives on European standards but devoid of European freedom. A major role in the revolt has also been played by those who live abroad in Europe or American cities for whom a feudal despot sitting in the throne for decades surviving on foreign dole.
Most of the time in past, the West was scared of Islamists coming to power once it was open to vote. But the recent events show, they are far away. No noise of bombs anywhere, the bombers are scared protesters who are demanding for freedom of expression and and share in power for the people. History continues thus ever after!
-----
After Francis Fukuyama wrote his famous treatise as “End of History and the Last Man”, there was an all pervasive gloom among the intellectuals of the world as if way market values were going to rule the mind, heart and human passion. They felt what Fukuyama was arguing also meant end of human dream, end of ideological polemic and politics will lastly converge to the western liberal democracy as the final form of human government.
Based on Hegelian “upside-down” political dynamics, what Fukuyama’s principles missed was the further dynamics in western liberal democracy itself. Western liberal democracy that was once known for running a system of `Welfare Capitalism’ under which basic health and education were ensured by the state, now they turning into “crony capitalism” and individual human rights have become subordinate to the approach towards countering terrorism.
If Fukuyama remembers, western liberal democracy that was once burying its imperialist past, it is reinventing itself in semi-colonial mode to adopt `soft imperialism’. Liberal face of western democracy was largely exposed during Iraq invasion and it would not be prudent to say that buck stops there only.
Liberal face of Western democracy was necessitated due to challenge from Communist’s campaign right from mid-nineteenth century against the system of capitalism, but after collapse of Soviet Union, alienation of Cuba and growth of State capitalism in China, the ‘liberals’ went awry to move into same old conservative and crony capitalist mode. They prescribed contract system in employment, hire & fire policy in jobs and forced minimum staff in Governments even in populated countries. But instead of naming it ‘hard’, ‘harsh’ or ‘tough’ economy, they befooled the audience by saying it liberalization. Amazingly, knowing well the nature and scope of the so called liberalization, even the economists like Amartya Sen did not oppose the deceptive nomenclature of such a brutal financial system. Thus the foundation of western liberal democracy had been removed from the governance and they felt people will be intoxicated in the glitter of market and advertisement driven consumerism.
After the collapse of USSR, it was understood that the youth will go to market and forget other concerns. American playwright Arthur Miller had said once, “Earlier when they (youth) were angry, they went to church or for revolution, but now they go to market.” About Arab also, there was the same understanding – either they will go to Mosque or to market. Laden and Terrorism affairs took place in between and the last hope of change in Arab world was over.
But mosque and market stopped working overtime for the crony capitalists and it precipitated till the last quarter of 2010. The youth started campaign on internet and netizens who were understood to be least concerned about things in the world, came out in open from Tehrir Square to Libyan cities to force oust the despots. All of these Arabian rulers might not tyrants but they all were not ready out ready to share their power with people.
When Egyptian crisis was evolving Indian foreign secretary Nirupama Rao rightly hinted towards the lopsided growth is Arab world. In the age of liberalization, the expectation of people has increased and failing in fulfilling the expectations might be the reason of current unrest in Egypt, she had said.
How exact and precise was Ms. Rao! Truly speaking Liberalization is increasing the expectation of all, but fulfilling the expectation of few. The anger and anguish lead with frustration and getting no ventilation mechanism burst the bubble. Religious sentiments and loyalty to the West too did not work and people were dancing on roads to have a taste of democracy.
The youth is alike, in Arab, in Asia, in Europe, in America! They are the agents of change. It hardly matters which profession they are in. They are watching. They will come when the others fail. They may not essentially belong to political parties, but they are of unaware of politics.
What I mean to say that there in no end of history. Society evolves itself to create another page in the book to keep the change alive, the water flowing and air blowing. Those who adhere on empiricist explanation of end of history should take a lesson from Tunisia where population lives on European standards but devoid of European freedom. A major role in the revolt has also been played by those who live abroad in Europe or American cities for whom a feudal despot sitting in the throne for decades surviving on foreign dole.
Most of the time in past, the West was scared of Islamists coming to power once it was open to vote. But the recent events show, they are far away. No noise of bombs anywhere, the bombers are scared protesters who are demanding for freedom of expression and and share in power for the people. History continues thus ever after!
-----
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
government's intention on land acqisition is under question
Akhilesh Suman
New Delhi
No government is implementing the existing Rehabilitation and Resettlement provisions contained in the Constitution in case of forcible land acquisition, even when the chief ministers shed tears that absence of proper law had prevented them in giving adequate compensation to the evicted farmers.
Former Union Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh is going to file a law suit in an appropriate court to force the executive to meet out the mismatch.
According to existing status, Union Government has adopted Rehabilitation and Resettlement policy 2007 and state governments may use this for the compensation package.
This fact was accepted by Railway Minister Mamata Bannerjee in the previous sessions of Lok Sabha.
Gazette of India, 2007, clause 7.13.1 mentions constitutional provision on page 51, that clearly say that the Policy
“In case of a project involving land acquisition on behalf of a requiring party, (a) shall give preference to the affected families, at least one person per nuclear family in providing employment in the project, (b) wherever necessary, the acquiring body arrange for training of the affected persons so as to enable such persons to take on a suitable job.”
But amazingly neither in Yamuna Expressway, nor anywhere else this policy is being utilized by the state governments specifically as in most of the cases acquiring party is the state government.
“Rehabilitation and Resettlement policy is as good as an act till a suitable law is enacted in by Parliament,” Singh told Central Chronicle.
He is going to file the case in context of eviction of families while acquisition of land in creating Hazipur, Sugauli, Chhapra, and Muzaffarpur rail lines. The request of providing job to the affected families should have gone through state government to Ministry of Railway, but state government did not initiate this process.
In case of Yamuna Express too, Uttar Pradesh Chief Ministry Mayawati did not initiate the process of employment to the affected families, even she was crying foul for Centre not preparing Law in this regard.
New Delhi
No government is implementing the existing Rehabilitation and Resettlement provisions contained in the Constitution in case of forcible land acquisition, even when the chief ministers shed tears that absence of proper law had prevented them in giving adequate compensation to the evicted farmers.
Former Union Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh is going to file a law suit in an appropriate court to force the executive to meet out the mismatch.
According to existing status, Union Government has adopted Rehabilitation and Resettlement policy 2007 and state governments may use this for the compensation package.
This fact was accepted by Railway Minister Mamata Bannerjee in the previous sessions of Lok Sabha.
Gazette of India, 2007, clause 7.13.1 mentions constitutional provision on page 51, that clearly say that the Policy
“In case of a project involving land acquisition on behalf of a requiring party, (a) shall give preference to the affected families, at least one person per nuclear family in providing employment in the project, (b) wherever necessary, the acquiring body arrange for training of the affected persons so as to enable such persons to take on a suitable job.”
But amazingly neither in Yamuna Expressway, nor anywhere else this policy is being utilized by the state governments specifically as in most of the cases acquiring party is the state government.
“Rehabilitation and Resettlement policy is as good as an act till a suitable law is enacted in by Parliament,” Singh told Central Chronicle.
He is going to file the case in context of eviction of families while acquisition of land in creating Hazipur, Sugauli, Chhapra, and Muzaffarpur rail lines. The request of providing job to the affected families should have gone through state government to Ministry of Railway, but state government did not initiate this process.
In case of Yamuna Express too, Uttar Pradesh Chief Ministry Mayawati did not initiate the process of employment to the affected families, even she was crying foul for Centre not preparing Law in this regard.
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