Activist’s death spurs state level movement
The killing of Lalit Mehta, who was campaigning to make the National Rural
Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) scheme effective in Jharkhand, has spurred a
movement against corruption and for proper implementation of the scheme, which
guarantees 100 days of work to poor rural households.
A state-wide platform ‘Daman Evam Bhrashtachar Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti’
(Campaign committee against repression and corruption) has launched with a
pledge to continue the struggle for NREGA in the tribal dominated state and
carry forward the spirit that the young engineering graduate represented.
Lalit, a member of local organisation Vikas Sahyog Kendra (VSK), a long-term
partner of ActionAid, was murdered on the night of 14th May in Palamau. His
defaced body was exhumed from a police grave two days later.
He was preparing for a public hearing on the scheme, as a part of a social audit
in Chainpur and Chhattarpur blocks of Palamau district, led by noted economist
Jean Dreze, when this happened.
Emerging consciousness
Held two weeks after Lalit’s murder, the
hearing at the Government High School, Chhatarpur saw massive participation.
On the morning of 26th May, dozens of men and women from some of the poorest
communities on this planet took to the stage narrating tales of mismanagement
that have made the employment scheme defunct in their areas.
Thousands of tribal, dalit and landless people, from the Chhatarpur and Chainpur
blocks, looked on at officials with questioning eyes, as testimonies of
corruption were shared, like fake muster rolls, forged signatures and fraudulent
job applications.
A message from Chairperson of the ruling United Progressive Alliance Sonia
Gandhi was read out.
The message read: “I have been told that Mehta worked in the region for the
right to food. I also have learnt he had been carrying out social audit on the
NREGA implementation. Maybe his work became a threat for those involved in the
irregularities, which ultimately led to his killing.”
Rampant violation of NREGA entitlements
Cases reported by the social audit exposed
serious corruption. The muster roll for a community pond dug under the project
listed 108 names listed as receiving employment but the investigation reveals
that in reality only 18 villagers had been working.
In Cheeru village of Chhatarpur block, several names in the muster rolls were
found to be fictitious. Since this region has high level of illiteracy, most
people use thumb impressions as signatures. Villagers were surprised to find
their hand written signatures on muster rolls.
“We have formally appraised the matter to NREGA commissioner and advised him
to take corrective measures to ensure proper implementation of the act,”
Drèze was quoted as saying in a media report.
Join the action
On June 10th a mass rally will be held in the
state capital Ranchi (at Survey Ground near Jaipal Singh Stadium) as
marginalised people and concerned citizens, activists and organisations express
their solidarity.
Events in Ranchi leading up to the mass rally include a candle-lit procession at
Albert Ekka Chowk (Firayalal Chowk) on the evening of June 7, and a protest fast
on 8 and 9 June at Albert Ekka Chowk (Firayalal Chowk). |
