Vikas Khojo Yatra. November 29 to December 10; Gujarat, 2017
Vikas Khojo
Yatra
29th November- 10th
December
Gujarat, 2017
Day 7: 5th Dec:
Village Kadoli, Sabarkantha District
The Ockhi cyclone
approaching Gujarat got heavy rainfall in many areas that the yatra had planned
to cover. With the temperature dipping, it became difficult for people,
especially women to gather in public spaces. The yatra rescheduled its
route and reached Kadoli, a small village in the Sabarkantha district in the
evening, instead of heading towards Surat, where the weather conditions are
poor. Here village elders, women and youth gathered, despite the bad weather,
to listen to the students on the yatra.
During the
interaction, a woman got up say that the small corruption in the state is not
done by individuals, its been pushed by the system. The government pushes
people down that lane. She shared that her son is a police constable.
He is a graduate but has been getting paid only Rs. 8,000 per month, which is
so low that he can't even support a family in the city. She asked if the
government is not forcing him to become corrupt? She asked is this vikas that
they have bargained for ?
Day 6: 4th Dec:
Mahesana:
The yatra covered
Mahesana, the home constituency of the Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat,
Nitinbhai Patel. The yatra performed at the gathering in the main Toranvali
Mata chowk of Mahesana, Dhangandra basti and then at the Sajjan pur village
near Mahesana. Even with Mahesana been a stronghold of current government,
people gathered to speak of lack of jobs, rising price, problems of GST and
devastating effect of demonetisation. At the end of the meetings, people
pledged to uproot the present corrupt government from Gujarat in the upcoming
elections.
Day 5: 3rd Dec:
Sunder Nagar:
The yatra reached
Sunder Nagar today. Sunder nagar is a district headquarter about 220 km from
Amreli. In Sunder nagar, the yatra performed in Haripur Colony, Malwan Village
and finally at Sajjan Pur. At every meeting, large number of women and youth
gathered. They shared their miseries about poor state of agriculture and
government's complete ignorance of the poor and marginalised.
In one of the meeting,
a woman stood up to share that they as farmers love their land the most,
but when it comes to catering to the needs of their children, they are left
helpless. Her son, wanted to study so they sold their land to send him to a
private college in the city. They sold their precious piece of land in the
hope that one day the son will finish his education and will get a job. The
land will no longer be needed to feed them, their son's job will. But now, the
son has returned with a degree which can't get him a job. He runs a small
tea stall in the city.
At the end of the
meetings, all gathered pledged by the Constitution of India and by the
6 crore people of Gujarat and that they will expose the government that has
cheated them in the name of development and filled coffers of Ambani's and
Adani's, and make sure they are defeated in the upcoming elections.
Day 4: 2nd Dec:
Amreli:
The yatra travelled
from Rajkot to reach Amreli today. Amreli is a small town about 112 km
from Rajkot. In Amreli, the yatra performed first at the main Amreli Bazaar
Chowk. The performance of the youth attracted a significant crowd, who
participated in the discussion that unfolded post the street theatre. Mostly
from the business community, the people gathered shared how their business was
affected due to the recent policies of the government. Demonetisation and GST
has severely affected their livelihood and the market is at its lowest.
They shared that they are also wondering who's Vikas is
this? Next, the yatra moved to the Railway Colony Ground. Here again there
was a significant crowd gathered to listen to the youth signing the vikas khojo
song. As they sang, where they asked that vikas has gone missing and
they are looking for it all over, people clapped and cheered. The session ended
with youth pledging to find true vikas and standing up against
deprivation and exploitation.
Today the truck yatra
first reached Jamnagar Medical College and Commerce College in
the morning. Next it travelled to Rakjot and performed at the main chowk
of Rakjot. Post which it went on to address a women's meeting at
Swaminathan Hall near the Zila Panchayat office. Women spoke of
their disappointment with the present government and at the end
of the meeting pledged to defeat the government that has fooled them for so
long.
Day 2 : 30th
Nov: Jamnagar:
The truck yatra travelled
from Porbander to reach Jamnagar today. In Jamnagar the yatra travelled to
different parts of the city and finally stopped to perform at the main chowrah
of Jamnagar. They performed the street theatre, distributed pamphlets and
engaged with people with the message. The crowd then pledged to rise up against
injustice and vote for true development.
Day 1: 29th
Nov: Porbander:
The Vikas Khojo Yatra
was flagged off from Porbander on 29th Nov, 2017. After which the yatra
travelled to different parts of the city stopping to talk to people. The yatra
stopped at the chowpati area of Porbander last evening and later today morning
at the Kamla Nehru Chowrah, where they performed the nukkad natak known
as 'vikas khojo' . This play showcases the true face of
development of Gujarat. Through the theatre the youth ask the audience if lack
of jobs, slumping of business, lack of security for women, lack of livelihood
for the poor is the Vikas that they as people of Gujarat want ? At
the end of the play, the youth burnt their degrees as a symbol of protest
against the development model that has only robbed the common citizen of their
rights and life. Finally all gathered to pledge that they will all make sure
that they rise up in the face of this model that has only brought deprivation and exploitation
Please help support
the students and youth as they question the present narrative of
development and stand up against the chilling silence in the face of fear. Lend
your support by spreading the word, join them at the campaign and
contribute to their struggle.
Please contact: 9713895923
