Open Letter by civic activists and people’s movements’ to CEOs attending the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investor Summit 2015

By Dilip -
This is an open letter to the CEOs attending the VGGIS in Gandhinagar by farmers and civil society representatives. Please publish this open letter in your newspapers/journals/newsletters/weeklies/ and other periodicals which has been signed by various leaders and activists.  JAAG Team 


Open Letter by NGOs / CBOs, and people’s movements’ to CEOs attending the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investor Summit (VGGIS) 2015

To,
CEOs at the VGGIS 2015
Mahatma Mandir,
Gandhinagar, Gujarat
 
Re.: Spare rural livelihoods, follow the ethical path
 
We, the undersigned, are representatives (but not political representatives) of the rural, agricultural, landless, farming, fishing and the marginalized communities reeling under the onslaught of relentless industrialization.
 
The Government of Gujarat’s (GOG) blind race towards mindless industrialization, because of crony capitalism has endangered traditional livelihoods and rendered these people unemployed and unemployable.
 
These skilled and semi-skilled people in traditional occupations, considered as unskilled or semi-skilled by the present model of development, are not absorbed in new industries envisaged by the GoG and is blatantly taking the poor for a ride and misleading the people about the fraudulent “Gujarat model of development”.
 
Having lost their water, land and coasts (for fishing) these poor people are left bereft of any sustainable rehabilitative support save the one-time compensation for land lost (very meagre and often belated). Before signing MoUs with the GoG, please do ensure that you meet and interact seriously with the impacted people/communities. Hundreds of NGOs representing several million members of civil society are already opposing extremely strongly the MOUs/Agreements signed which not only affect their livelihoods but also their sense of dignity which we are sure you would not wish to happen. Hundreds of people’s movements are ongoing and more may be launched across the country to oppose the fake promises made by Shri Narendra Modi and his Government.
 
The resources (land, water, coasts) that are proposed to be sacrificed by the Government are part of a well thought out crony capitalist ideology which the people of India oppose tooth and nail. All these realities are being hidden from you by the Government of Gujarat and the Government of India.
 
Back in your home in the various countries that hail from, ethical and fair business norms are practiced, which are openly flouted here by our Government. We therefore request you to not to enter into any agreements however profitable they may appear to you, without interacting with the undersigned NGOs and various social organisations and people’s movements as well as interact with the affected people in order to make yourselves fully aware of the injustice that is being done to them before risking your capital at grand events meant to delude you. At the earlier Vibrant Gujarat events too several MOUs were signed but very few have been executed due to resistance from the dispossessed and poor people of Gujarat who are backed solidly by many NGOs/people’s movements.
 
Should you wish, we would be happy to send to you some examples of the unfair and unjust economic policies that Shri Narendra Modi has attempted to execute in the state as the Chief Minister but failed to do so because of massive resistance of the people.
 
We shall be glad to answer any questions regarding the above you may have in order for you to make a fair assessment of the situation yourselves.
 
1.        Sanat Mehta, President, Khedut Samaj-Gujarat
2.        Sagar Rabari, Secretary, Khedut Samaj – Gujarat, Ahmedabad
3.        Persis Ginwalla, Jameen Adhikar Aandolan Gujarat (JAAG), Ahmedabad
4.        Indukumar Jani, Editor, Naya Marg, Ahmedabad
5.        Rohit Prajapati, Activist, Vadodara
6.        Trupti Shah, Activist, Vadodara
7.        Lakhan Musafir, Sittar Gam Adivasi Sangathan
8.        Dr. Jimmy C. Dabhi, Research Director, HDRC, Ahmedabad
9.        Fr. Cedric Prakash, SJ, Director, Prashant, Ahmedabad
10.      Mahesh Pandya, Paryavaran Mitra, Ahmedabad
11.      Neeta Pandya, MARAG, Ahmedabad
12.      Dinesh Rabari, MARAG, Ahmedabad
13.      Dr. Saroop Dhruv, INSAF, Ahmedabad
14.      Hiren Gandhi, Darshan, Ahmedabad
15.      Rajnibhai Dave, President, Gujarat Sarvodaya Mandal, Ahmedabad
16.      Gautam Thaker, General Secretary, PUCL Gujarat
17.      Priti Oza, Prayas Centre for Labour Research and Action, Ahmedabad
18.      Sudhir Katiyar, Prayas Centre for Labour Research and Action, Ahmedabad
19.      Anand Mazgaonkar, Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti, Vadodara
20.      Swati Desai, Bhoomiputra, Vadodara
21.      Micheal Mazgaonkar, Mozda Parivar
22.      Prasad Chacko, Director, Human Development and Research Centre, Ahmedabad
23.      Jhanvi Andharia, Ahmedabad
24.      Anuradha Pati, Development Professional (Rural Livelihoods)
25.      Rajiv Shah, Ahmedabad
26.      M.S.H. Sheikh, President, Brackish Water Research Centre, Olpad, Gujarat
27.      Dr. Sunetra Deshpande, Director, Vox Populi, Ahmedabad
28.      Ashok Parmar, Prayas Centre for Labour Research and Action, Ahmedabad
29.   Ramesh Shrivastava, Prayas Centre for Labour Research and Action, Ahmedabad
30.      Harsukh Kathad, Prayas Centre for Labour Research and Action, Ahmedabad
31.      Denis Macwan, Prayas Centre for Labour Research and Action, Ahmedabad
32.      Mina Jadav, Prayas Centre for Labour Research and Action, Ahmedabad
33.      Prakash N. Shah, Editor, Nirikshak, Ahmedabad
34.      Ulka Mahajan, Sarvahara Jan Andolan
35.      Krishnakant, Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti, Vadodara
36.      Rajendra Ravi
37.      Vijay Diwan, Aurangabad
38.      Satyam Shrivastava, SRUTI, New Delhi
39.      Hasmukh Patel
40.      Deepti Raju, Jeevantirth, Gandhinagar
41.      Jayesh Patel, Khedut Samaj (Gujarat)
42.      Paulomee Mistry, DISHA, Ahmedabad
43.      Vipul Pandya, Bandhkaam Majdoor Sangathan, Ahmedabad
44.      Pankti Jog, Ahmedabad
45.      Harinesh Pandya, Ahmedabad
46.      Badribhai Joshi, Gram Seva Mandal, Tancha
47.      Rameshbhai Patel, Vice President, Khedut Samaj (Gujarat)
48.      Pradyumansinh Chudasma, Bhal Bachao Samiti
49.      Ramdevsinh Chudasma, Bhal Bachao Samiti
50.      Naranbhai Chauhan, Bhal Bachao Samiti
51.      Bhavubhai, Sandhida, Bhal Bachao Samiti
52.      Shivlal Vekaria, Saurashtra Khedut Sangharsh Samiti.
53.      Dahyabhai, Saurashtra Khedut Sangharsh Samiti.
54.      Chandubhai, Saurashtra Khedut Sangharsh Samiti.
55.      Pinak Dhamadia, Khedut Samaj (Gujarat)
56.      Sailesh Raval, Azad Vikas Yuva Sangathan
57.      Dashrath Desai, Maldhari Sangathan
58.      Bharatsinh Jhala, CRANTI, Ahmedabad
59.      Bhavubhai Thakor, Azad Vikas Sangathan
60.      Nipuj Patel, President, Bharuch Jilla Khedut Samaj
61.      Natubhai Nayak, President, Navsari Jilla Khedut Samaj
62.      Dilip Jhala, Mahabal Gauchar Bachao Samiti, Vadodara Zala
63.      K. K. Gohel, Mahuva.
64.      Hamirbhai Shiyal, Kheti Paryavaran Bandhara Bachao Samiti, Mahuva.
65.      Shaktisinh Gohil, Bhavnagar Jilla Gram Bachao Samiti
66.      Damayantiben Modi, Anu Abhyas Juth, Bhavnagar.
67.      Abha Tandel, Kinara Bachao Samiti, Umargaon
68.      Vimlaben Kharadi, Himmatnagar
69.      Sonal Mehta, Eklavya Foundation, Ahmedabad
70.      Ashim Roy, National Trade Union Initiative, New Delhi
71.      Advaita Marathe, Ahmedabad
72.      Sanjeev Kumar, Delhi Forum, New Delhi
73.   Subhash Lomte, Convenor, National Campaign Committee for Rural Workers, NCCRW
74.      Vijay Diwan, Aurangabad Social Forum, Nisarg Mitra Mandal
75.      Soumya Dutta, Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha
76.      Balendra Vaghela, Saurashtra Kutchchh Lokhit Sangharsh Samiti
77.      Shilpa Vasavada, Ahmedabad
78.      Sushila Prajapati, Ahmedabad
79.      Neha Shah, Ahmedabad 
80.      Johanna Lokhande, Ahmedabad
81.      Vijay Parmar, Ahmedabad
82.      Rasikbhai Joshi, Dwarka Jilla Khedut Samaj.
83.      Jaskarnbhai Chaudhari, Mahesana Jilla Khedut Samaj.
84.      Shrenik Shah, Bhavnagar.
85.      Mahendrasinh, Bharuch Jilla Khedut Samaj.
86.      Jignesh Mewani, Jan Sangharsh Manch.
87.      Akshay Kankaiya, Nature and Human Care Society, Rajgidh Prakruti Mandal, Mahuva
88.      Dhirubhai Dobariya, Rajkot.
89.      Dinesh Sanghavi, Kutch
90.      Bharat Patel, Machhimar Adhikar Sanghathan, Bhadreshwar, Kutchh.
91.      Virajibhai Patel, Bhavnagar Jilla Khedut Samaj.
92.      Vipin Patel, Khedut Samaj Gujarat.
93.      Amrish Patel, Jan Sangharsh Manch, Ahmedabad
94.      Umesh Solanki, Editor, Nirdhar, Ahmedabad
95.      Vijay Bharatiya, Ahmedabad
96.      Bhagubhai Patel, Bardoli
97.      Ranjitbhai Desai, Navsari
98.      Kamlesh Patel, Rajkot Jilla Khedut Samaj
99.      Shantubhai Patel, Farmer leader, Surat
100.    Sureshbhai P. Makwana, Khedut Hit Rakshak Samiti, Junagadh
101.    Karabhai A. Jhala, Khedut Hit Rakshak Samiti, Junagadh

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