NAPM's Chunav par Nazar Campaign

INVITE TO JOIN

NAPM’S 'CHUNAV PAR NAZAR' ABHIYAN

SAY NO TO CAPITALIST, COMMUNAL, CASTEIST, CORRUPT AND CRIMINAL POLITICS

Election dates for the 15th Lok Sabha have been announced and there is again a
huge challenge before us to ensure that the real issues of people are buried by
political rhetoric. All the existing and newly forming political fronts, if
anything, have a most striking similarity with amoebas - whether it is the 1st
Front or the 4th Front. It is impossible for people to grasp where a front
stands either on issues or vis-à-vis other parties/fronts, whether they are
independent fronts or fronts within fronts! Whatever little difference did
exist between so-called ‘communal and secular’ parties or ‘capitalist and
socialist’ parties is visibly diminishing day by day.

It is, therefore, highly important, for us, people’s movements and
organizations to raise basic and burning issues on the one hand as well as
enable an opportunity to link up local and regional issues and struggles with
the national.

During the Meeting of the National Convenors of NAPM held at Nagpur on the 1st
and 2nd March, we had discussed our role during the upcoming Lok Sabha
elections. We decided to organize the preparatory meetings at the earliest, as
the poll dates are nearing and this process must be taken forward on a
war-footing. The following key issues are being discusses during the state
meet:

1. Compliance with the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for candidates and
political parties as defined by the Election Commission of India.
2. Analyse the records of the present MPs (Try to identify MPs with
criminal record, involvement in corrupt practices, involvement with casteist
and communal organizations, working as the frontman of any corporate or builder
group and bring these facts into the public domain.
3. Monitoring the existing property of candidates, income, the number of
vehicles, amounts spent on literature, campaign material, advertising and other
propaganda.
4. Group / State Unit should prepare the list of general malpractices
during elections such as distribution of cash, kind, liquor, booth capturing,
delivering communal / casteist speeches, rigging of votes, making false
promises or allurements etc. It may be restressed that after announcement of
elections, no declaration of new schemes can be made by the state / central
Govt. Ministries or politicians.
5. Use the RTI extensively to find out how many complaints were received
during the last Assembly / Parliamentary elections and the action taken on the
complaints.
6. Prepare a format to make complaints to the Returning Officer of the Lok
Sabha constituency: Election Observer, State Election Commissioner (SEC)
Member-in-charge of the State from the Election Commission of India, Delhi and
also the Superintendent of Police of the District
7. Bring together a state level Committee to observe elections and
distribute work amongst the Committee.
8. You may send a list of the NAPM Election Observers (from each state) to
the Election Commission of India along with a letter to the State Election
Commission for associating these persons in the election monitoring process to
ensure free and fair elections. A delegation of the NAPM (State) Election
Monitoring Committee can meet the SEC and maintain regular communication with
him.

Methodology during the pro-people election watch campaign:

i. Details of the announced candidates of various political parties must
be compiled.
ii. Fixing up of a date with the candidates for open discussion with the
electorate (Try to call the candidate for a public meeting in the area). Obtain
the oral and written commitment of candidates on specific laws and
policies/issues.
iii. Prepare few people with questions about the common problems issues and
problems like: displacement and rehabilitation, social security to unorganized
sector workers, right to housing, water, unemployment, need for health
services, schools, public rationing, better public transport, commitment to ban
liquor etc.
iv. Prepare a list of speakers who will address the gathering on behalf of
NAPM after the Q&A Session is over with candidates.
v. We request people's groups in the state to send us a brief summary of
national as well as local / regional issues that must highlighted during the
campaign at the meeting in your area, along with soft copies of the manifestos
of the parties contesting elections there.
vi. Prepare a note for need of the various electoral reforms on behalf of
NAPM state unit. Nationally, identify at least 10-15 candidates / black list
them to demonstrate what kind of politics we reject. (Politicians like Kamal
Nath, L.K. Advani, Rajnath Singh, Sharad Pawar and others are to be questioned
– add to the names please)
vii. NAPM has its People's Resolve, which is more or less the NAPM manifesto
which needs to be publicized and presented during our aforesaid programmes and
meetings. Any of you can propose or add anything specific to the Manifesto and
use it in the meetings / dialogues. Please do send your suggestions to the
below mentioned e-mails.

Chunav Par Nazar Yatra:

At least one major city / capital is planned to be covered in different states,
which shall include a meeting with representatives of people's organizations, a
press conference and a public meeting. We also propose to organize a
travelling poster exhibition and also have documents already prepared by
Election Watch plus comparative analysis of party manifestoes (2004 and 2009)
along with a People's Manifesto by NAPM. The posters would also contain data on
various unlawful and unethical antecedents of candidates / parties.

We will have with us at different places, former Advisor to the Election
Commission of India, Shri K. Jagannatha Rao, along with mass-based people's
representatives, thinkers and conscience-keepers such as you to address the
mass gathering of people and also the press, which certainly create a positive
impact.

Justice (Retd.) Rajinder Sacher, Trilochan Sastry, Association for Democratic
Reforms, Sharad Chadra Behar, Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh,
Prof. Ramdayal Munda, Senior adivasi rights activists, Former Vice Chancellor,
Birsa Munda University, Ranchi ,Meher Engineer (West Bengal) President, Indian
Social Science Academy,Prof. Amit Bhaduri, Economist and supporter of people's
movements, Ulka Mahajan, Sarvahara Jan Andolan and NAPM , Arvind Kejriwal,
Right to Information Activist, Parivartan, Gautam Bandopadhyay, Nadi Ghati
Morcha, Medha Patkar, National Convenor, NAPM and some other Convenors and
Members of NAPM have confirmed their presence at different places. Other
special invites are yet to finalize

It would undoubtedly strengthen the process if you can join this effort from
one or two places at least and raise the people’s agenda before the
elections. It would also greatly help, if you can in whatever way, try to
mobilize resources for the campaign, which would include travel expenses,
amounts for stationery and poster material etc.

Attached with this Note is a tentative schedule of the list of cities / places
to be covered in the coming few weeks of April before the Phase I of the Lok
Sabha Elections. We look forward to your support and involvement.

Contact Anand Mazgaonkar: anandpss@gmail.com; napmindia@gmail.com
Medha Patkar: 09423965153 (nba.medha@gmail.com)

Anand Mazgaonkar Dr. Sunilam D. Gabriele P. Chennaiah
Medha Patkar

(On behalf of all the National and State Convenors of NAPM)

CHUNAV PAR NAZAR – 2009

PROPOSED PROGRAMME OUTLINE

The proposed Chunav par Nazar programme under NAPM's banner can be planned in
collaboration with other groups and organizations in a given district / state /
region.

Purpose of the Campaign:

 To present the people's perspective of the politics as well as issues
and conflicts which people have been facing.

 Project our position on the issues to provide an opportunity as well as
questioning political parties and candidates on the same asking them for a
response.

 Guide people on whom not to vote or whom to vote, providing the
framework of values and issues as also analysis of the manifestoes of the
Parliamentary Elections of 2004 and 2009 along with an analysis of the parties
and candidates, history of public work undertaken in their respective
constituencies and otherwise.

 We can also bring out the assessment of the candidates' properties
declared before the Election Commission, if available by then.

 We may target some of the candidates who are notorious for such acts,
decisions or offences against the people or the Constitution.

Programme:

 The programme should include erecting a Manch (dais) on which the
representatives of the people's organizations and movements and the political
parties can gather together on invitation. The candidates should also be
invited and we should ensure that at least a few remain present. Whosoever
doesn't make it, their chairs can be left open, with name plates (also party
names) only to highlight their absence and let people judge them on that count.

 The gathering can be of organized masses mobilized by the organizations
involved as also of the intellectuals and the common middle class people. We
expect there would be not less than 1000 and between the range of 1000 - 5000
people at least in each place to make it effective.

 The organizers, if they think right, can compere the programme in such
a way that after speeches of a few representatives and organizations, the
parties and candidates would express their opinion on the issues raised. The
questions can also be given on paper to the parties and candidates to answer in
their address to the masses.

 One of the major focus areas must be our assertion for a polity based
on truly decentralized democracy that should include recognition of
constitutionally guaranteed rights of the communities and views should be
sought from the politicians on the same.

 The programme will also be accompanied by a poster exhibition, which
will be carried along to different places.

 The aspects of electoral reforms, right to recall, state funding of
elections, reservation for women and other issues can also be raised from this
platform.

 The parties and candidates, both, can be asked at the end to give in
writing whatever opinion they might express on the people's issues and the
conclusion can be effectively presented by some eminent persons including the
local special invitees and the outsider's team that would be touring. As far
as possible, a former Judge or a person of that stature should be in chair.

 The meeting can end with a people's pledge on the issues and towards
the struggle to continue beyond the electoral politics.

 The Programme can also include a Press Conference either before the
Public Meeting or on the sidelines of the meeting, taking out some time.

 We would express open support to only those candidates who would be
approved by NAPM. NAPM has resolved not to support any of the mainstream
parties or the Alliance / Front which is the alliance of many parties who
differ with us on ideological issues and have a history of anti-people and
anti-movement positions in many respects.

Preparations:

 Please form a group of activists and others and plan your state level
actions in this regard. Teams in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh are
already active on this.
 Visit of a team as mentioned in the attached schedule to a few states
need to be complemented by other programmes in those and other states to be
organized with other speakers and invitees.
 We are preparing a large size poster exhibition in Mumbai to be
released on April 7th in Mumbai. This exhibition is of flex material and will
include 8-10 posters. A copy of this exhibition of NAPM can be sent to you, if
you decide to pay for the same while it will be carried by the team visiting
different states also. There is also another exhibition prepared by Sadbhavana
Sangh of Mumbai, which can be obtained.
 Assessment of manifestoes will be sent to you and when it is ready.
Please send us the regional part manifestoes of 2004 and 2009, if you can get
hold of the same.

We are desperately trying to raise funds for the campaign especially for the
banners, posters, travel expenses (flight and train) of the team and for
stationery, postage and related expenses. Please do extend help urgently. We
welcome capable volunteers who would join us in the assessment of manifestoes
and candidate's properties, which will have to be mostly done through
internet-based data and which can then been tabulated an translated. We
request you to kindly get back on all these fronts.

Support the campaign:

Please note: You can send a DD / Cheque to NAPM (with no 80-G) or Narmada
Navnirman Abhiyan (80-G available), along with a covering letter, stating the
specific purpose for which the money may be used.

 

TENTATIVE PLAN FOR PEOPLE’S ELECTION WATCH VISIT TO DIFFERENT STATES

Proposed Members of the Travelling Team (requested to speak on electoral
reforms)
 Shri K. Jagannatha Rao, Former Advisor, Election Commission of India
 Shri Trilochan Sastry, Association for Democratic Reforms

Other members: (requested to speak on people's – each to attaned selected
meetings)

• Justice (Retd.) Rajinder Sacher
• Sharad Chadra Behar, Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh
• Prof. Ramdayal Munda, Senior adivasi rights activists, Former Vice
Chancellor, Birsa Munda University, Ranchi
• Meher Engineer (West Bengal) President, Indian Social Science Academy
• Prof. Amit Bhaduri, Economist and supporter of people's movements
• Ulka Mahajan, Sarvahara Jan Andolan and NAPM
• Arvind Kejriwal, Right to Information Activist, Parivartan
• Medha Patkar, National Convenor, NAPM and
• Some other Convenors and Members of NAPM

State/City: Maharashtra (Mumbai)
Date(s) of Election (In phases): April 16, April 23, April 30
Proposed Date of visit: April 7th
Tentative Speakers to join: Shri K. Jagannatha Rao, Medha Patkar, Justice
(Retd.) H. Suresh , Fr. Frazer and others

State/City: Uttar Pradesh (Ghaziabad)
Date(s) of Election (In phases): April 16, April 23, April 30, May 7, May 13
Proposed Date of visit: April 7th
Tentative Speakers to join: Rakesh Rafiq, Medha Patkar, Bhupendra Rawat

State/City: Jharkhand (Ranchi)
Date(s) of Election (In phases): April 16, April 23
Proposed Date of visit: 11th April
Tentative Speakers to join: Ramdayal Munda, Ghanshyam , Medha Patkar , Dr.
Meher Engineer

State/City: Madhya Pradesh (Chhindwada)
Date(s) of Election (In phases): April 23, April 30
Proposed Date of visit: 14th April
Tentative Speakers to join: Medha Patkar, Ulka Mahajan, Dr. Sunilam

State/City: New Delhi (Delhi /Khanzawala)
Date(s) of Election (In phases): May 7
Proposed Date of visit: April 15th
Tentative Speakers to join: Justice (Retd.) Rajider Sacher, Prof. Amit Bhaduri
, Shri Sharad Chandra Behar, Arvind Kejriwal, Medha Patkar

State/City: Madhya Pradesh (Indore/Bhopal)
Date(s) of Election (In phases): April 23, April 30
Proposed Date of visit: April 16th /17th
Tentative Speakers to join: K. Jagannatha Rao, Chinmay Mishra, Shri Sharad
Chandra Behar, Medha Patkar