Alleging that there has been no meaningful discussion in the Telangana State Assembly since the state’s formation in 2014, a citizen’s collective comprising over 10 movement-based organizations and some NGOs, who actively worked for the relief of migrant workers during the lockdown, announced a “People’s Assembly”. According to the organizers, in the three-day session that would be held from September 4-6, they would discuss issues of employment and workers’ rights; natural resources and people’s rights; agriculture and rural livelihoods; social, food security, health and education amongst other things.
The 'People's Assembly' would be held before the Telangana assembly session commences on September 7.
After concluding the session, these demands would be sent to the public representatives, said Kiran Kumar Vissa of Rythu Swarajya Vedika, an organization working for farmers’ welfare. A website has been created for this purpose, where people can watch the live session hosted through zoom platform. People are encouraged to join the online session and demand that their representatives raise these issues in the Assembly.
Activists like prof. Haragopal, Kaneez Fathima, prof Sujatha Surepally and several other experts are part of the session.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, Jeevan Kumar, coordinator of the Human Rights Forum, said, “Earlier, politics used to be very vibrant. A month before the elections, the legislators would tour their constituencies, learn about the problems of residents and raise these issues in the Assembly. Now that practice has diminished. Hence, we thought that we would raise the issues which concern the public through the People's Assembly.”
The organizers said that Opposition parties have become weak and fail to hold the government accountable.
Sajaya, representative from Caring Citizens Collective, said, “In every Assembly session, issues relating to the public must be discusssed but unfortunately there’s no such opportunity in Telangana. The political parties talk about their own agenda which are not in the people’s interest,” she alleged.
Sajaya said that the failure of the Telangana government in providing essentials through the public distribution system and the failure to handle the pandemic, prompted them to come up with this unique initiative.
The organizations behind this initiative include: National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), – Mahila Kisan Adhikaar Manch (MAKAAM), Dalit Bahujan Front , Human Rights Forum , Telangana Progressive Teachers Federation, Telangana Vidyavanthula Vedika, Rythu Swarajya Vedika, Telangana Vyavasaya Vruthidarula Union, Caring Citizens Collective, Palamuru Adhyayana Vedika, Telangana Domestic Workers Union, Campaign for Housing & Tenurial Rights, and All India Parents Association.