By TCN News,
Tohana-Fatehabad (Haryana): A huge gathering of poor and marginalized people, large number of them women, took place in Tohana (Fatehabad) in Haryana on December 30, 2014 against corruption and irregularity in providing job under MGNREGA, and proposed dilution in the act.
The gathering of over 2000 people was jointly called by National Alliance for People’s Movement (NAPM), Khudai Khidmadgar and SBYF and was planned against the government for allegedly failing to provide work to people under MGNREGA after the general elections although it is continuing on paper.
The protesters demanded a reversal of the decision to dilute MGNREGA, protested against the irregularity in providing Jobs, widespread corruption and also voiced demands for 200 days of work.
People participating in the 4 KM journey from Kalpana Chawla Park to SDM secretariat
The 4 Kilometer journey from Kalpana Chawla Park to SDM secretariat in Tohana attracted huge crowd as people turned in large number from all over the block to express their anguish against not getting job in MGNREGA.
They held flags and placards in their hands expressing their grievances as encouraging slogans cheered the workers with “MGNREGA workers Zindabad”.
People sitting at the premises of SDM-Tohana
The gathering reached the SDM secretariat in the 2 hour long journey and handed over more than 1500 applications to demand job. Mr. J.K. Abhir SDM-Tohana met the workers and promised to take care of their demands. He, however, refused to sign of the receiving letter of the applications and the situation became tense briefly. The protesters sat on dharna outside the SDM office and gave way only after the SDM finally signed confirming the receipt of applications.
A participant sharing her anguish
The protesters have now decided to wait for 15 days to see if they get the job under the scheme else they will then decide the future course of action.
To make the situation further apprehensive, gathering of more than 2000 people decided to sit down at the premises of SDM until a receiving of application is being provided. On participants unbending stance SDM came back to meet people’s demand, the gathering was called off after getting receiving signature on Job application. According to act SDM has to provide job to all applicants within 15-20 days, Finally it was decided that after 15 days a delegation will meet and take further step if the demand of job will not meet.