Jan Haq Yatra (North) unites against injustice
The Jan Haq Yatra's northern leg kick-started at Jaipur (Rajasthan) on 23rd Jan 2007.

Several issues were raised by communities depending on what was the focal problem in the particular area. But all pertained to discrimination being faced by people.  Over the 11 days, Rajasthan communities demanded: 

• reform in the present education system, with a revamp of the curriculum
• gender equality including strict measures to prevent female foeticide/infanticide
• appropriate livelihood opportunities for adults 
• ensuring equal rights across all sections of society: Dalit rights. Tribal rights, Rights of unorganized sector, land rights
• Lending support to the communities  were people from all walks of life : students, academicians, government employees and media professionals. Close to 1500 people participated in the Jan Haq Yatra in Rajasthan. 

The Yatra moved on to Madhya Pradesh starting at Sheopur on 8th Feb and culminating on 13th Feb at Satna. There was active participation of CBOs (community based organizations) across MP. Several issues raised were common to Rajasthan, focusing on education, displacement and SEZ,  with victims sharing their real life experiences.  

Issue of Land and Forest: In Jakhda Jagir village about 84 landless families have been given patta in 2001 but even after 7 years their land is not demarcated by the government official. The local revenue officer took money several times but no avail. Since they own very little land which is mostly unproductive and unirrigated their livelihood is in jeopardy and they are forced to migrate. In Bhanwarkuan village about 70 women from the  community discharged their anger on the government systems and corruption on various issues as mentioned above.

Similar to Jakhda Jagir in Bhanwarkuan village, about 195 families got land patta but their land is encroached by the local Jamindars and Brahmins. Despite several memorandums submitted to the collector they are still awaiting for their land to be distributed.

In Rewa skewed distribution of land, increasing landlessness and rampant land alienation are the hallmarks of the land distribution system In fact, there are numerous cases of entitlement without possession, possession without entitlement, forced dispossession from the land despite having legal documents, etc. There are innumerable instances where land had been demarcated but the beneficiaries were not allowed to cultivate due to physical harassment. 

Ineffective NREGA -> Migration: The National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme was flagged off in February 2006 with the basic purpose to check migration and provide employment at the doorsteps. But the District Administration couldn't have effective measures to check the migration. Surjabai said that since last two years she's got only 14 days of employment through NREGA programme. If they could get adequate employment in the village itself they  would be able to ensure some stability in the life of their children.

In Rewa too a large number of tribal and dalit families from this region migrate every year during March - April to the neighboring states especially Shankargarh in UP. The trend of migration is on rise and now the families are migrating along with children and even cattle. Job cards are  not being distributed timely. Touts asking for Rs. 200 to "help" in getting the job card. There was gross discontent among villagers about low wages. People did not get the complete wage for the work done. Delays in wage payment was common at worksites, attribute this to non-release of funds from the office. In some places, gender discriminatory in wage payment was also observed. The impact of migration has far reaching effects on socio-economic life.

In Gwalior, stone crushers are now jobless since the crushers were shut down by district administration recently, and are forced to  migrate due to inadequate employment in their village.

Education: There are villages where there is only one school in the village where around  100 students are taught by one teacher. The other appointed teacher never comes to school.

In Gwalior village children (of Sapheras) between the age group 3-6 years are not admitted in the anganbadis. Only a small percentage of the children above 6 years are going school. Others are either school dropouts or not registered yet in school.

In Rewa  terrosied by feudal forces many poorer sections fear to send their children to schools to study with the children of privileged groups. In certain cases even the teachers are threatened by the village chiefs that they should not enroll the children of downtrodden in schools. Indifferent attitude of teachers towards their profession is also the cause for drop out of children. In some cases children are not able to learn alphabets even after 2-3 years of schooling.

Lopsided Development: Kastoori bai and Matadin. commented about the existing situation of globalization and capitalism and questioned why development efforts of government focus on developing only elite sections of the society.

In Rewa and Satna, another important issue emerged:  notification for Reserve Forest which was fiercely protested by the CBOs here. In this region about 70 villages covering 50 Sq Km area of Rewa and Satna District have been declared under the reserve forest area. This unwarranted action of the government without any prior notice is a new threat for the villagers. They will now not only be displaced but also their major source of livelihood from forest is in danger. In this meeting all the villagers openly challenged the government and said that they will not give an inch of their land (Jan Denge par Jameen Nahi denge) and take a resolution to fight against this notification.

Many other issues were discussed: child labour, caste based discrimination, lack of ration cards for families Below the Poverty Line, lack of adequate water.

Press conferences were also held with media taking keen interest in the issues of the common people. One important point was the unity and common objective of the community which will help them achieve their goal and for that a struggle for the rights is essential. We also have to focus in group activity than individual effort, voicing the issue to the local leaders like Sarpanch, Parishads.

The UP leg of the Yatra, spearhead by State Alliance Voice of the People (VOP),  started on 13th Feb and culminated at Lucknow on 8th March. The community here was visibly outraged by the lack of justice in almost all areas . Talking on the issues of basic rights like health and education , the community pointed out that these  were quickly being abdicated to private bodies with the government relenting all responsibility. As a result these amenities are completely out of the reach of the marginalized communities who cannot afford the high costs, and hence are unable to get properly treated or unable to send their children to schools that provide quality education for children

In UP the plight of farmers was also raised. Despite their  hard labour, farmers are deprived of basic amenities. In fact prices of commodities are completely whorped. Governents have changed but there ahs been no change in the common man's plight 

Even the NREGA has failed. VOP went a step ahead saying that 100 days employment was insufficient to ensure a family a life with dignity and hence the NREGA must ensure 365 days employment and not the 100 days as per the current Act.

The issue of SEZ, leading to displacement of common people was also raised strongly.

As the Yatra continued in UP, it simultaneously kick started in Delhi on 1st March touring  the city for 3 days successfully concluding on 3rd March at the Gandhi Peach Foundation. More