By Mohammed Shafeeq
IANS
Hyderabad : Terming the nine percent growth India is witnessing 'deadly', an anti-poverty agency in Hyderabad has called for bringing people at the centrestage of growth process.
The experiences shared by many marginalised social groups at the ongoing national conclave here highlighted how the current model of economic growth is making them all the more marginalised by destroying their livelihood and displacing them.
For the first time in 35 years, ActionAid, a leading non-governmental organisation (NGO), has brought together the excluded groups from all over the country to provide a platform for interaction, sharing of their stories of struggles, experiences and learning lessons from one another.
The four-day conclave 'Towards a People's Alliance' that concludes Thursday, is addressing several social issues including poverty, rural health, women's rights, peace and security, food and livelihood, health and education.
The event has brought together indigenous and fishing communities, Dalits, Muslims, women, urban poor, informal sector, people with disabilities and people living with HIV and AIDS.
Ghasi Majhi from a primitive tribal group in Lanjigarh, Orissa, lives under the shadow of a bauxite refinery built by Vedanta, a company listed on the London Stock Exchange. "This is our place – we have been here for generations," he says. "When the factory starts, the company will take over our land. What will happen to our children?" he asks.
Mukesh, a vegetables vendor from Delhi, too shared his experience at the conclave. His livelihood is at stake as a Reliance Fresh store – part of a new wave of supermarkets opening in urban centres – was recently opened in his area.
"I am struggling to sell most of my vegetables, whatever is left over is simply sold at half the price or thrown away. I really don't know what we will do," said Mukesh, who lives with his wife and four children.
"The government claims nine percent growth is fantastic but it is actually a deadly growth. The growth which is being talked about is causing more marginalisation, massive displacement of these groups, destruction of their livelihood and acute malnutrition and starvation," Babu Mathew, country director of ActionAid India told IANS.
He pointed out that during the last few days, 17 tribal children in Mayurbhanj district in Orissa died from starvation. "The district administration is denying and hiding it," he said.
"They are not full citizens. We want to achieve full citizenship for all by fighting for their rights and by making them conscious of their rights and organise and mobilize them," he said.
"As far as macro economic policies are concerned, we want to link them with large social movements. We want these policies to be made people-centric. Right of human beings should be the core of development process," he said.
Mathew feels that 'economic reforms with human face' or 'alternate economic agenda' as being advocated by some political parties were not a solution. "They (politicians) occasionally remember the poor. As elections come they talk of human rights and forget them after coming to power," he said.
According to him, 'Washington consensus' or the policies dictated by the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organisation were the root cause of the problems faced by poor not just in India but across the world and pointed out ActionAid was running a hunger-free campaign in 40 countries.
According to him, 1,500 delegates belonging to 225 partners and 120 community-based organisations from 24 states and two union territories were attending the conclave, which will come out a declaration.
"We want to make it people's caravan and strengthen organisations," he said.