আম্বেদ করের  Social Inclusion Doctrin-1
ব্রাহ্মন্যবাদীদের গোটা রাজনীতিটাই Exclusion theory'র উপর দাঁড়িয়ে। মানুষের মধ্যে বিভেদের বিষ না থাকলে ব্রাহ্মন্যবাদ টেকেনা। মাক্সবাদীরা Inclusion'র কথা বলে। কিন্তু ভারতবর্ষে তার প্রয়োগ করার জন্য যারা বেশী উৎসাহী হলেন তারা কেউই শোষিত শ্রেণীর প্রতিনিধি নয়। ব্রাহ্মন্যবাদের পাঠশালায়  declassed কম্যুনিস্ট নেতা। তারা ভারতীয় পটভূমিতে শোষক-শোষিতের ব্যাখ্যাই দিতে পারলেন না। অথবা সযত্নে এড়িয়ে গেলেন ব্রাহ্মন্যবাদীদের discrimination theory বর্ণবাদ। Class struggle না  Caste struggle বুঝতে বুঝতে নখ-দন্ত ভোঁতা হয়ে গেল । সুযোগ বুঝে ব্রাহ্মন্যবাদীরা পুরো পলিটব্যুরোটাই দখল করে নিল। Declassification তত্ত্বের বহুল প্রয়োগে বামুন ঘরের ছেলে/মেয়েদের জাতীয় স্তর থেকে একেবারে আলু-পটল কারবারীদের ইউনিয়ন পৌঁছে দিল। মাক্সবাদী স্কুলে ১০০ বছর ধরেও কোন শোষিত শ্রেণীর প্রতিনিধি উঠে এলো না। অথবা উঠতে দেওয়া হল না।  ভারতীয় মাক্সবাদ হয়ে দাঁড়ালো চিরাচরিত ব্রাহ্মন্যবাদী বা মনুবাদের প্রয়োগশালা । এটাই আশঙ্কা ছিল ডঃ বি আর আম্বেদকরের। শ্রম মন্ত্রী থাকাকালীন মাক্সবাদী ইউনিয়নকে আর্থিক সুবিধা পেতে সাহায্য করলেও নমুনা দেখে তিনি শঙ্কা বোধ
করেছিলেন ।

ভাগিদারী আন্দোলনের সপক্ষে এবং বর্ণবাদের বিরুদ্ধে বঞ্চিত জনপুঞ্জের মধ্যে প্রকৃত যে আন্দোলন বা সংস্কারগুলি শুরু হয়েছিল সমকালীন ভারতে তার সাথে মাক্সবাদীরা মিলতে পারেনি। চন্ডাল হরিচাঁদ ঠাকুরের তেভাগা আন্দোলন,মহাত্মা জ্যোতি রাও ফুলের সত্যশোধক সমাজ গঠন,রামস্বামী পেরিয়ারের Self Respect Movement,নারায়নাগুরুর সামাজিক পুনর্গঠন আন্দোলন,মহাত্মা গুরুচাঁদ ঠাকুরের শিক্ষা,চাকুরী ও রাজনৈতিক ভাগিদারী আন্দোলন এবং সর্বোপরি বাবাসাহেবের জাতপাত, শোষণ মুক্ত সর্বজন সমাজ গঠনের কোন প্রক্রিয়াতেই মাক্সবাদীদের অংশগ্রহণ ছিল না। বা এই আন্দোলনগুলিকে
বঞ্চিত,নিপিড়িত মানুষের  দাসত্বের থেকে মুক্তি বা  ব্রাহ্মন্যবাদের divine slavery থেকে মুক্তির প্রয়াস বলেও
স্বীকার করেনি। বরং মনুবাদীদের মতো এই আন্তরিক উত্থানকে জাতপাতের রাজনীতি বলে উপেক্ষা করেছে।

পাহাড়ী বিদ্রোহ (দুমকা),মুন্ডা বিদ্রহো,তিলকা মাঝির জল-জঙ্গল-জমি-পাহাড়-বনভূমি রক্ষার আন্দোলন,সিধু-কানুর "হুল মাহা" মাতৃভূমি রক্ষার আমরণ লড়াই,বীরসার "উলগুলান" কোনটিই দিকু সমাজের কাছে সমাদর পায়নি।

ভারতবর্ষের কোন রাজনৈতিক দল জাতপাত চূর্ণ করে মানুষের মধ্যে চিরায়ত বিভেদের দেয়ালটিকে ভাঙতে চায়নি। বরং সযত্নে লালন করেছে। পালন করেছে। আলাদা আলাদা কক্ষের(সেল)আলাদা আলাদা তালা ঝুলিয়ে (সংখ্যা লঘু,এসসি/এসটি,ওবিসি ইত্যাদি)বিভেদটিকে একটি চিরস্থায়ী বন্দবস্তে পরিণত করে ফেলেছে। আম্বেদকর  দর্শণ জাতপাত ভাঙ্গার কথা বলে। বহুজনের পারস্পরিক সহাবস্থানের ভিত্তিতে বিভেদের শেকড় সমূলে উৎপাটন করার কথা বলে। আম্বেদকর  দর্শণের এটাই সব থেকে বড় মূলধন। তার  Annihilation of the Caste কে অনুশরণ করে  কাঁসিরাম জি আওয়াজ তুললেন "জাতি তোড়ো সমাজ জোড়ো" 'জয় ভিম, জয় ভারত'। ১৯৮৪ সালে গঠন করা হল বহুজন সমাজ পার্টি। তিনি বললেন এটি একটি রাজনৈতিক মিশন। সমাজ পুনর্বিন্যাসের মিশন। সমাজ নর্বিন্যাসের পরিকল্পনা হবে "যার যত সংখ্যা ভারি,তার তত ভাগিদারী। ভিশন 'বহুজন হিতায়,বহুজন সুখায়'।

 কিন্তু জাত ব্যবসায়ীরা এতে বেজায় অখুশি। উল্টে তারা জাতপাকে রাজনীতির আঙিনায় নিয়ে আসার জন্য বহুজন সমাজ পার্টিকেই দায়ী করতে লাগলেন। ব্যপারটা অদ্ভুত!ভারতীয় বহুজন সমাজ জাতপাতের কারণেই বঞ্চনার স্বীকার । হিন্দু বর্ণ ব্যবস্থায় সংখ্যা গরিষ্ঠ মানুষকেই জাতের জাঁতাকলে সর্বহারা করা হয়েছে যুগ যুগ ধরে। জাতপাতকে ধর্মীয় মহিমা দিয়ে মুষ্টিমেয় কিছু মানুষ রাষ্ট্রীয় উৎপাদনের প্রায় সবটাই আত্মসাৎ করছে এটা অবশ্যই রাজনীতি। যে রাজনীতির পেষা কলে ফেলে সংখ্যা গরিষ্ঠ মানুষকে শুধু সম্পদ থেকে বঞ্চিত করা হয়নি,মর্যাদাহীন করে পশুসুলভ জীবন যাপন করতে বাধ্য করা হয়েছে।    
বঞ্চিতের আত্ম বিকাশের অন্তরায়,শোষণ যন্ত্রের এই জগদ্দল পাথরটাকে গুড়িয়ে দেওয়াই আম্বেদকরের মিশন । এই মিশন "Survival for the fittest"নয় । নয় বেঁচে থাকার জন্য শধুই লড়াই এর উন্মত্ত রণহুঙ্কার। বা প্রতিশোধ পরায়ণ ক্ষমতা দখলের দস্তাবেজ ।  যে লড়াইয়ের অন্য প্রান্তে অবস্থান করে শ্রেণী শ্ত্রু।
যাকে রণনীতি বা রণকৌশলের রক্তক্ষয়ী সংগ্রামের মাধ্যমে পরাভূত করে প্রোলেতারিয়েতের শাসন কায়েম করতে হয় ।
এই আদিম হিংস্র মানবিকতার বৈদেশিক ব্যখ্যা আম্বেদকরবাদে জায়গা পায়নি। বরং পরম মিত্রতা বা ভাইচারাই চিরস্থায়ী ভাবে বৈরিতার অবসান ঘটাতে পারে, ভারতীয় দর্শনের এই অমর বাণী তিনি মেনে নিলেন।“NAHI BERENA BERANI SAMANTIDHA KUDACHANANG. ABERENA CHA SAMMANTI ESO DHAMMO SANATANO”।

অসুর-বাঙ্গালী নিধনের জন্য ভৈরবী প্রথা

অসুর-বাঙ্গালী  নিধনের জন্য  ভৈরবী প্রথা  

বাজারে ধর্মের ষাঁড় ছেড়ে দেবার একটা লোকায়ত প্রথা আছে। নির্দিষ্ট অঞ্চলের ভিতর এইসব ষাঁড়েরা ঋতুবতী গাভীদের নিষিক্ত করে। কৃষিজীবী মানুষেরা উন্নতমানের গোকুল বাড়ানোর জন্য সহমতের ভিত্তিতে এটা করে থাকতো। বিনিময়ে ষাঁড় পেত অবারিত মাঠ। যত্র তত্র বিচরণের অবাধ ছাড়ত্র। ঋতুবতী গাভীদের সঙ্গে সহবাসের অধিকার। এইসব ষাঁড়গুলোকে ভৈরবের প্রতিনিধি হিসেবে সমীহ করার বিষয়টাও লোকায়ত। মেয়ে ষাঁড় বা ষাঁড়নী ছেড়ে দেবার প্রচলন বাংলাতে অন্ততঃ দেখিনা।  

বল্লাল সেন অসুর বাংলাকে কৌলীন্য প্রথার চোলাই গেলাতে শুরু করলে এরকম একটি প্রথা চালু হয় একেবারে মানুষের জন্য। ধর্মের ষাঁড় ছেড়ে দেবার মতো কৌম সমাজ থেকে রূপবতী যুবতী বাছাই করে তৈরী হয় ভৈরবীদের বাহিনী । এরা একদিকে যৌনাচারী কাপালিকের সাধন সঙ্গী। অন্যদিকে দেহপসারিনী । রূপের জালে সুগঠিত যুবককে ধরে এনে কাপালিকের হাতে তুলে দেওয়া ছিল এদের কাজ। কাপালিকের খড়্গ এরকম সহস্র  বাঙ্গালী যুবকের শিরোচ্ছেদ ঘটিয়েছে তার অনেক প্রমাণ আছে। প্রেমের জালে ফাঁসাতে গিয়ে অনেক ভৈরবী নিজেও ফেঁসে গিয়েছে এমন প্রমাণতো কপালকুণ্ডলা। দু একটি অঘটন ছাড়া এই প্রথা যে দারুণ ভাবে অসুরদের নির্বংশ করতে সক্ষম হয়েছিল তাতো ব্রিটিশ পূর্ব ভারতে সবক্ষেত্রে অসুরদের অনুস্থিতি থেকেই অনুমেয়।

দুর্গা আবার ভৈরবীদের সর্দারনী। তিনি দেহপসারিণী মেনকার কন্যা। ইন্দ্রপ্রস্ত বিনিময়ের সন্ধিতে অসুর গিরিরাজ মেনকাকে পেয়েছিলেন। দেবতারা তাকেই মহিশাসুর নিধনের জন্য বিষকন্যা হিসেবে প্রেরণ করে। কিন্তু দুর্গা মহিশাসুরের রূপ,গুন ও খ্যাতি দেখে তার প্রতি আকৃষ্ট হয় । সধর্মিণী হিসেবে অসুরপুরীতে সন্তানদের নিয়ে দিন কাটায়। কাপালিক ইন্দ্র ও ব্রহ্মা এতে ভয়ানক ক্ষেপে যায়। এর পরেই ঘটে বালক শুম্ভ-নিশুম্ভের হত্যা লীলা ও মহিশাসুর বধ।


আজও আত্মবিস্মৃত অসুর বাঙ্গালী ভৈরবীর মোহে আচ্ছন্ন। ঢাকের গগন ভেদী গর্জনে ঢাকা পড়ে গেছে তাঁদের পূর্বপুরুষের আর্তনাদ। ধুপের ধোঁয়া আর ফুল বেলপাতার গন্ধে ঝাপসা হয়ে গেছে দৃষ্টি। ব্রাহ্মন্যবাদের হাড়িকাঠে অসুর বাঙ্গালীর নির্বীর্য করনের এটাই এখন  সব থেকে শক্তিশালী নিধন যজ্ঞ ।  

INCOME GENERATION ACTIVITIES with Mushroom

Kathy Wingard

"Positive steps against hunger and toward self-sufficiency".

INCOME GENERATION ACTIVITIES

Cultivation of Oyster and Paddy straw Mushroom can meet the huge deficiency of nutrition to the marginalized people.

Mushroom is a living organism and biologically known as fungus (pl. fungi). Its body is made up of cells that take the form of long filaments, known as hyphae (sing. hypha), and its structure as well as chemistry distinguishes it from other­ Kingdoms of Living World like Animal, Plant, Protista and Monera. Fungi, numbering about 200,000 species and distributed all over the world, have now earned the distinction of a separate Kingdom.

Mushroom is a fungus but every fungus is not a mushroom. Large macroscopic fleshy fungi are known as mushrooms. In the Kingdom of Fungi, the most species are microscopic and they do not come under the category of mushrooms. The larger fungi, which reproduce by forming mushrooms, flourish best in moist and shady habitats and biologically belong to the two sub-divisions of Ascomycotina and Basidiomycotina, either is characterised by the formation of a special type of sexual spore, the ascospore and the basidiospore respectively. Each of these two sub-divisions of the fungi is further divided into a number of Classes, Orders, Families, Genera and Species. Mushroom growers in India are, however, concerned with only three specific genera of the sub-division of Basidiomycotina for commercial exploitation of the technology of mushroom cultivation. These genera include Agaricus, Pleurotus and Volvariella. Agaricus is commonly known as button mushroom, Pleurotus as oyster mushroom and Volvariella as paddy-straw mushroom. The cultivation of mushrooms in India has earned some considerable popularity in recent years with reference to the two Agaricus species (Agaricus bisporus and Agaricus bitorquis), the two Pleurotus species (Pleurotus sajor-caju and Pleurotus citrinopileatus) and the two Volvariella species (Volvariella diplasia and Volvariella volvacea).

In each of these cultivated species, the fruiting body (commonly known as mushroom) consists of an umbrella-shaped cap (also known as pileus) that is supported on a stalk (also known as stipe) that is produced through aggregation of mycelia in the substratum. A ring-like structure, known as annulus, is found on the stipe of Agaricus, and a cup-like structure, known as volva, is noticed at the base of the stipe of Volvariella. Neither annulus nor volva is present in Pleurotus. The two faces of the gills (also known as lamellae) which are situated underside of the pileus and radiated from the apex of the stipe to the margin of the pileus bear enormous number of spores which are released at intervals and germinate in a suitable substratum to produce a hypha. Each individual hypha is a filament that grows by extension at the apex. While growing in the substratum, it produces enzymes that effect a breaking down of complicated substances into simple molecules. These molecules are 'absorbed by the hypha to provide energy for further growth. The hypha branches out and produces a number of hyphae. These hyphae in the substratum do not behave independently but act as a colony. The interwoven hypha forms a fluffy mass, known as mycelium (pl. mycelia), which gradually spreads throughout the substratum. Under favourable conditions the mycelia aggregate to form small knot-like buds, the beginning of a fruiting body (also known as primordia). It quickly expands and emerges out form the substratum as a fully-grown fruiting body (also known as carpophore or fructification). 

Prepared and circulated by Action Research Institute, 47D Palm Avenue, Kolkata 700 019 

Positive steps against hunger and toward self-sufficiency.

Kathy Wingard

Mushroom is a living organism and biologically known as fungus (pl. fungi). Its body is made up of cells that take the form of long filaments, known as hyphae (sing. hypha), and its structure as well as chemistry distinguishes it from other­ Kingdoms of Living World like Animal, Plant, Protista and Monera. Fungi, numbering about 200,000 species and distributed all over the world, have now earned the distinction of a separate Kingdom.

Mushroom is a fungus but every fungus is not a mushroom. Large macroscopic fleshy fungi are known as mushrooms. In the Kingdom of Fungi, the most species are microscopic and they do not come under the category of mushrooms. The larger fungi, which reproduce by forming mushrooms, flourish best in moist and shady habitats and biologically belong to the two sub-divisions of Ascomycotina and Basidiomycotina, either is characterised by the formation of a special type of sexual spore, the ascospore and the basidiospore respectively. Each of these two sub-divisions of the fungi is further divided into a number of Classes, Orders, Families, Genera and Species. Mushroom growers in India are, however, concerned with only three specific genera of the sub-division of Basidiomycotina for commercial exploitation of the technology of mushroom cultivation. These genera include Agaricus, Pleurotus and Volvariella. Agaricus is commonly known as button mushroom, Pleurotus as oyster mushroom and Volvariella as paddy-straw mushroom. The cultivation of mushrooms in India has earned some considerable popularity in recent years with reference to the two Agaricus species (Agaricus bisporus and Agaricus bitorquis), the two Pleurotus species (Pleurotus sajor-caju and Pleurotus citrinopileatus) and the two Volvariella species (Volvariella diplasia and Volvariella volvacea).

In each of these cultivated species, the fruiting body (commonly known as mushroom) consists of an umbrella-shaped cap (also known as pileus) that is supported on a stalk (also known as stipe) that is produced through aggregation of mycelia in the substratum. A ring-like structure, known as annulus, is found on the stipe of Agaricus, and a cup-like structure, known as volva, is noticed at the base of the stipe of Volvariella. Neither annulus nor volva is present in Pleurotus. The two faces of the gills (also known as lamellae) which are situated underside of the pileus and radiated from the apex of the stipe to the margin of the pileus bear enormous number of spores which are released at intervals and germinate in a suitable substratum to produce a hypha. Each individual hypha is a filament that grows by extension at the apex. While growing in the substratum, it produces enzymes that effect a breaking down of complicated substances into simple molecules. These molecules are 'absorbed by the hypha to provide energy for further growth. The hypha branches out and produces a number of hyphae. These hyphae in the substratum do not behave independently but act as a colony. The interwoven hypha forms a fluffy mass, known as mycelium (pl. mycelia), which gradually spreads throughout the substratum. Under favourable conditions the mycelia aggregate to form small knot-like buds, the beginning of a fruiting body (also known as primordia). It quickly expands and emerges out form the substratum as a fully-grown fruiting body (also known as carpophore or fructification).

THE ASSUR CIVILIZATIONS

THE ASSUR CIVILIZATIONS

CATAL HUYUK, ASSYRIA(asura), EGYPT, MESOPATAMIA, INDUS, CHINA AND FANESIA were the ASURA Civilization.

Renowned scholars are coming into conclusion that, all the ancient CIVILIZATIONs those are discovered were ASUR CIVILIZATION (non-Aryan):

1)      CATAL HUYUK  in modern Turkey (85000-9000B.C.)

2)      MEHERGARH in modern  Pakistan(7000 BC)

3)      ASSYRIA/ASURA/MESOPOTAMIA  in modern Iraq(6000 BC)

4)      FANESIA/ABESTA  in Modern Iran(5500-6000)

5)      EGYPT in modern northern Africa.(4500-5000)

6)      INDUS in modern India and  Pakistan( 2500-4500 BC)

7)      CHINA  (1500-2000BC)

Assyria was a Semitic Akkadian kingdom, extant as a nation state from the late 25th or early–24th century BC to 608 BC^[1] centred on the Upper Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia (present day northern Iraq), that came to rule regional empires a number of times through history. It was named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur (Akkadian: 𒀸𒋗𒁺 𐎹 Aššūrāyu; Aramaic: ܐܫܘܿܪ Aššur; Hebrew: אַשּׁוּר Aššûr; Arabic: أشور Aššûr). Assyria was also sometimes known as Subartu, and after its fall, from 605 BC through to the late seventh century AD variously as Athura, Syria (Greek), Assyria (Latin) and Assuristan. The term Assyria can also refer to the geographic region or heartland where Assyria, its empires and the Assyrian people were centered. Their descendants still live in the region today, and they form the Assyrian Christian minority in modern Iraq, and exist also in north east Syria, south east Turkey and north west Iran.^[2][3]

 

 “A river watering the garden flowed from EDEN, and from there it divided, had four head streams …….The name of the third is the Tigris, it runs along the east of ASSUR. And the fourth river is the Euphrates”.

                                    Genesis, Old Testament, Holly Bible.

The land lying between the two rivers, the Euphrates and Tigris was known as Assyrian Civilization. The southern part of the Assyria was known as Sumer or Sumer-Akkad. Greek literature described the civilization as Mesopotamia the land between two rivers. The main city was as famous as their God’s name ASSUR. NINEV the Gorgeous city was established at the north-west part attained a high level civilized city. We got rock edict by the king ASSURNASIRPAL  and ASSURBANIPAL.

Assurbanipal was a great philosopher and scholar. Holly bible added the story of Noah’s Ark from his library.

Hammurabi the famous Assur king was the founder of judicial system.

And lastly INDUS the neighboring city of ASSUR had a keen socio-cultural and trade relation destroyed by the barbaric Aryans. 

MATUA is the Religious Revolution against Heen (rubbish) Dharma

MATUA is the Religious Revolution against Heen (rubbish) Dharma: (5 photos)

Matuas are the adherents of HARICHAND a CHANDAL religious leader during British time. Chandals (now Namasudra) are the second highest population in West Bengal after partitio

n of Bengal. They are believed to be descendants of the original inhabitants of Bengal. 90% of Muslims of greater Bengal had their origin in Chandals. They dropped off to Islam during Muslim rule leaving only fraction of their original strength. (Chatterjee, S.P: Bengal in Maps, 1948, p.48.). They are the indigenous, aboriginal people of Bengal, who have been living there from time immemorial. ( O’Malley, L.S.S: 1908, 1925).

During Battle of Ten Kings in1300 BC -1100 BC Aryans invaded India, destroyed Indian cities (INDUS) and made the Indian slave. Before that they started to write VEDAS copping the Indian scripts (Aryans didn’t have any script with them). In the 10 mondal (phases) of Rick Vedas they divided the people into 4 Varnas as Brahman, Rajanya, Baisya and Sudra and fixed the rights and duties of the people based on their birth.

GOTAMA the 28th Buddha revolted against the inhuman Aryan religion and united the people under the supreme truth “Dhamma as I understand it consists in recognizing that enmity does not disappear by enmity. It can be conquered by LOVE alone”. But the Satanic elements guided the Brahmans to continue their conspiracy. Again they raised their head and spreaded the poison among the people. They wrote so many books those inspired them to destroying, killing and capturing the properties of aboriginals. ARTHA SASTRA by Kautilya (during 350 BC-280 BC), MANUSMRITI by Bhrigu (the Brahmanical Pinal Code during 185 BC) and SRIMAT BHAGABAT GITA by Sankarachariya(in the name of Vyasas) guided them to do the brutality as their holly duties. During the contra revolution, Brahmans made the 85% of aboriginals slave. In the name of RILIGION they have fragmentized the Indian people into 6748 of castes, adulterating with untouchablity, hate, anger and discriminations. They contaminated the human values pushing vulgar, drinking, smoking of Ganja, sex and polygamy. The religious places were established as brothels. This intoxication made the people inhuman and criminals. Thus BHAKTI MOVEMENT started by the religious leaders of aboriginals. Guru Nanak, Snt. Kabir, Sant. Ravidas, Tukaram, Mirabai so many religious leaders raised their voice against the Heen Dharma introduced by Brahmans.

MATUA the belated Religious Revolution by the CHANDAL leader HARICHAND started against the Brahmans and their Heen Dharma (Hindu). He smashed the chain of slavery by the Brahmans and taught the simplest religion following BUDDHA. He proclaimed MATUA means “Me like You” Dhamma. Every Matua follow his teaching as 12 AGYA(order):

• Be simple.

• Make your nature (character) fresh.

• Feel yourselves in every creature.

• Avoid stealing and untruth.

• Do the right work in hand.

• Avoid the Brahman from your life.

• Keep away VEDAS from your life.

• Do the Garhasta Dhamma(conjugal religion).

• Avoid sensual pleasure and polygamy.

• Avoid alcoholism.

• Be educated and religious.

• Be with agriculture and trade.

The disciples of Harichand Thakur are calle PAGOL (generally stands for mad person) are the wise people organize the villages forming MATUA DAL (groups). Leader of the MATUA DAL is called DALAPATI controls the followers to their religious life.

In The War Against Hunger,Announcing the Tala Kholo Abhijan

RIGHT TO FOOD AND WORK CAMPAIGN- WEST BENGAL

Office of the Secretariat:75/1 Ballygunge Place, Kolkata-700019

Date:-26 June 2012

In The War Against Hunger,Announcing the Tala Kholo Abhijan

            The Right to Food and Work Campaign-West Bengal is extremely concerned about the continuing crisis in food availability, escalating food prices and subsequent hunger amongst the people of West Bengal and the country as a whole. It views with dismay the continued rot in the rationing system in West Bengal despite the change in Government.

          The seizure of bogus cards, while initially a major pursuit of the new Government has lately fizzled out.  As per Government reports about 1.9 to 2 crores cards out of over 9 crores ration cards are supposed to be bogus cards. Only 50 lakhs have been seized so far. While West Bengal have more ration cards than our total population, in many villages 30-50% people , especially children do not have ration cards. The making of new ration cards requires bribes or political recommendations in many places though this is against the law.

The Minister of Food and Civil Supplies has repeatedly announced ad hoc enhancements in quantities for people in the Jangal Mahal, Aila affected areas,  hill areas etc. However, in our experience the enhanced quantities rarely reach the beneficiaries. The biggest beneficiaries of these enhanced quantities seem to be the ration dealers themselves. In the Kalimpong subdivision in the district of Darjeeling, Antodaya Anna Yojana and BPL beneficiaries though listed for many years have still to receive subsidised food grains.

A recent study in Datan 1 block (Paschim Midnapore) conducted by one of our constituent organisations has shown shocking results. The study covered 18 shops and 148 beneficiaries in all. Almost 40% of the card holders had no ration cards in their possession. Most shops did not have boards outside the MR shops that are legally required by the Supreme Court, stating basic information such as stock rates, quotas, list of beneficiaries. Of the 148 beneficiaries interviewed only 5 reported receiving the correct amount of food grains. No cash memos were issued to card holders. It was clear that Sales Registers maintained by the ration dealers were clearly cooked up records, as were their Log Books showing stocks and allocations. The entire Public Distribution System seemed to be functioning on a whole lot of spurious and outdated information.

 Many of our constituent organisations joined monitoring and vigilance committees formed by the Department of Food and Civil Supplies at the District and Sub-divisional level as NGO representatives in the hope that they would be able to improve functioning of the PDS. However, in some districts (e.g. Paschim Midnapore) these committees have not even met once in the past year. Committees at the shop level and at the block level have not been formed or are inactive and ill-informed.  Thus public vigilance of the PDS is missing, while the Department staff seems ill equipped to do any such monitoring.

 In the meantime, while food does not reach the beneficiaries due to a corrupt delivery system, food stocks are continuing to pile up in FCI godowns. As on 1^st June 2012, the stocks had crossed the 75 million MT mark. A substantial amount is now rotting in the open. On 1^st June 2012, it is estimated that 231.82 million MT of wheat will have to be stored under plastic cover in the open as against 116.38 million MT which will be stored in covered godowns. The Central Government is seriously considering exporting of these food grains at subsidised prices but is not willing to provide this the hungry and poor people of this country. Nor is it ready to seriously reform the system. Rs.291 crores was promised by the Central Government to West Bengal for digitalisation of cards but that has not been forthcoming so far, so we continue with bogus cards and huge leakages.

 Empty stomachs with sub-Saharan rates of child malnutrition on the one hand and overflowing godowns with rotting food grains in the open on the other thus epitomise the situation of hunger in our country. The National Food Security Bill 2011 , which is now lying with the Parliamentary Standing Committee, is expected to change this situation , but it remains a very inadequate piece of legislation in its present form. The Bill divides the population into three groups: priority, general, and excluded households. They will receive major PDS benefits, token benefits, and no benefits, respectively. However, there is absolutely no clarity as to how these different groups are to be identified. The Bill is also strangely silent on food production, without any focus on agriculture and farmers. We have a Food Security Bill that does not say where the food will come from!  Most dangerously, it seems to be paving the way for a replacement of food grains with cash transfers. It is our contention that cash, with its multiple uses (e.g. for alcohol purchase, at the worst) , cannot provide people with the food security that food grains can. Such a replacement is also likely to affect our food production systems adversely. 

 The Right to Food and Work Campaign-West Bengal in this situation has therefore decided to launch a month long Tala Kholo Campaign to focus attention on the problem of hunger and corruption in the PDS . Our demands are:-

·        Stop the rotting of food grains: open the doors of overflowing godowns immediately  and distribute food grains at AAY prices to unorganised sector workers and all other needy sections;

·        Stop theft in the rationing system and activate the public vigilance system on ration dealers;

·        Enact a National Food Security Bill that removes targeting and covers all universally.

·        Give us a Food Bill that legally guarantees food production by providing farmers with remunerative support prices

·        Do not replace food with cash transfers.

___________________________________________________________________________________

 Please Contact :   9433342488/ 9433002064

TALE OF UNHEARD VOICE An observation on MAL community in Saltora 

Udaypur is a village with mixed communities near Biharinath hill at Saltora Block, Bankura. It is popularly known as Baddi Para though Mal is the major community living here for a long time. Others communities are Bagdi, Bauri and Bangal(Kayastha). Udaypur is a notified backward village by the West Bengal Government in Tiluri Gram Panchayat. Mal the most backward community among the Scheduled Caste don’t have their cultivable land in this village. 42 households around 210 populations have acquired forest land and made their hamlets with mud and local materials. Most of the roofs of the huts are covered by rotten paddy straw. Some are by tarpaulin. A narrow passage is used as the outlet for both the animal and human. Livelihood: Mal community is basically agricultural laborers. During the monsoon they get sufficient agricultural work. But most of the months they don’t have any work. It steer them towards seasonal migration to other districts. It is reported by the villagers that, they only get 10 days work in a month. Minor forest product is the other source of income for the Mal community. The broomstick, branch of neem tree, collecting of Sal leaves sometimes help the community to their existence of life. Mother and Child Care: Malnutrition among the children, adolescents and women is an acute hazardous in this village. No ICDS centre is running here by the Government to take care of. There is no PHC in this village. Pregnant women have no knowledge about National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS) and institutional birth. The mortality rate of the new born baby is quite high. Child Education: Only one Primary School in the village is responsible for the education and MDM of the poor children. The rate of the dropout is high due to: a) Most of the boys are in social trauma. b) High School is 5 kilometer far from the village. c) Financial burden is one of the major problems. d) Cattle rearing and collecting of minor forest product is more important than education for them. Social Trauma: Mal community in Bankura district was untouchable. Even they were identified as criminals by the others. They are still unaccepted by the Kayastha, Baddi and Brahmans. The ignorance and isolation throw them into the social trauma. Exclusion of Identity and Dignity: But the history referred that, Bankura the part of MALLABHUM governed by the Malla king. From ancient MAGADH to SAMATATA covering the modern states UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and Bengal they built a huge nation. The Bagdi community also gets into their identity from Malla origin. Mhamati Gautam Buddha took his last meal in Malla kingdom and achieved MAHAPARINIBBANNA. Unfortunately the community has forgotten their identity and dignity keeping slavery into the four fold system for a long time.