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NCCI Webinar on Churches Accompanying Distressed Migrants to Life

Monday 22nd June 2020, 5.00 to 7.00 pm

The exodus of distressed migrant labourers during the lockdown period problematises the dominant narratives that exist on the working class in India. While it exposes the irresponsible attitude of labour contractors and democratic governments- both state and centre, towards the unorganized labour sectors, it also highlights the need to revise labour laws to favour this segment of workers who constitute more than a hundred million of the population. However, the firm decision taken by workers to transcend the apathy of Government structures and systems by adopting alternate ways of returning home, including walking and cycling thousands of miles, demonstrates their lack of confidence in Government machineries. Their exodus shows their endurance and persistence to function as an agency of change.

Many have returned to the places they call ‘home’, their own native lands, their State of origin, posing many questions before the civil society. What will their future be? Will they go back and continue to experience the same pathos of modern slavery or will they negotiate with contractors, entrepreneurs and the Government regarding their dignity as labourers. If they do not come back to their respective areas of work, will they lead a meaningful and a dignified life without having a regular income? Will the Government develop supportive systems at the point of origin to sustain their life? These labourers are a faith question before the church- the ‘ekklesia’. Being a radical democratic assembly of God, the church has to see this as a crisis emerging out of the unjust structures of the society. The majority of these workers belong to Dalit, Adivasi and OBC communities. Therefore, their marginalisation has caste, colour, economic and gender dimensions and intersections.

The Church is supposed to be the voice of the marginalised and has a responsibility to visualize an inclusive society – a society which has equity and where equal distribution and justice are the core values. A webinar is scheduled to discuss how the church can journey with those in exodus, to learn from them and to be with them in their plight. It is an exploration to evaluate the role of the church in the context of the exodus of distressed migrant workers.

The webinar will attempt to (1) seek an understanding on the context of the exodus of distress migrants to their own places, (2) seek to learn ways in which the church can affirm and enhance their quality of life in the locales to which they have returned and to which spaces they will eventually return again after the CoVID context wanes out, and (3) motivate Churches, Christian and Ecumenical organizations to make their plan of action in this regard. Meera Sangmitra (NAPM), Sonia George (SEWA), Dr S.K Vettivel (Independent Consultant), Indrajeet Pawar (IJM) and Rajesh Jadhav (NCCI-URM/ VCLC) who are experts in their respective fields will guide us through the webinar. The webinar will be held on 22nd June 2020 between 5.00 and 7.00 pm

Click here to register for the webinar. A confirmation mail with dial in details will be sent subsequently.

Team NCCI.

Vidarbha Centre for Labour Concerns Bounce Back to Life

Date: 6th March 2019

Venue: Vidharbha Centre for Labour Concerns (VCLC), Butibori

The youth and women living on the fringes are quite often ignored by the mainstream of the society. They are not provided opportunities to explore their potentials. Devoid of a domain to learn and an orifice to demonstrate their skills, add to the disheartenment of many youths and women. Discrimination prevails even within the margins. In a society where the earnings of man is given credence, the ability of the youths and women to bring about a change is undermined or rather not bothered at all. This concept is being inverted through a Youth and Women Program jointly conceived and executed by four institutions viz. National Council of Churches in India (NCCI), Church of North India – Social Service Institute (CNI-SSI), Mure Memorial Hospital and Christian Service Agency (CSA). As a part of this endeavour a Mobile Training Centre was inaugurated on 6th March 2019 at the Vidharbha Centre for Labour Concerns (VCLC), Butibori, Nagpur. The program aims to equip the youth and women of Tembhari village – Butibori.

The inauguration program witnessed officials from NCCI, CNI-SSI, Mure Memorial Hospital and the residents of Tembhari village. There were around 50 participants. The dignitaries present were; Mrs. Aradhana Upadhyay – Director – CNI-SSI; Mr. Rajesh Jadhav – Coordinator – VCLC; Mr. Jianthaolung Gonmei – Executive Secretary – Youth Concerns – NCCI; Dr. Pranit Kashyap and Dr. Swapnali Rao – Doctors of Mure Memorial Hospital. The program commenced with a brief introduction by Mrs. Aradhana Upadhyay concerning the Mobile Training Centre and the courses which would be offered i.e. tailoring, beautician, embroidering and electrical management. She encouraged the people present there to make use of the opportunity to the fullest and also to spread the information so that many more could avail this prospect. Followed by her speech, Mr. Rajesh Jadhav, Mr. Jianthaolung Gonmei and Dr. Pranit Kashyap expressed their wishes and prayers for the success of the program. The vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Siddhart Bhange – CNI-SSI. Soon after the inauguration a medical camp was organized for the people under the aegis of the doctors from Mure Memorial hospital. To share the joy of this initiative sweets were distributed and everyone partook in the refreshments thereafter.

This program marks the renewed vigour of Vidarbha Centre for Labour Concerns which is an arm of NCCI-URM working among labours in Asia’s largest SEZ since 2002. Plans are afoot to further the work on rights, dignity of labours in the 12 districts in the Vidarbha Region of Maharashtra State.

NCCI – VCLC (Vidarbha Centre for Labour Concerns) empowering the next generation Journalists for a just society.

The VCLC along with District Journalist’s Forum and Star Apex News had jointly organized a one day work shop for the progressive Journalist’s of Butibori in Hotel Royal Regency, Butibori on 30th September 2018.

The Butibori Journalist’s Union welcomed the participants. The Deputy Superintendent Ms Reena Janbandhu congratulated the efforts of the local organisers for this attempt to empower the next generation of budding Journalists. During this workshop many Journalist’s were awarded for their fearless write ups which challenged Corruption and the various Developmental issues.

The workshop had two sessions. In the first session, the legal aspects and role to be played by the press and media were spoken of. One of the speakers hailed the Maharashtra Government for introducing the bill to protect the on-duty journalists and media persons. He also congratulated them for taking the lead in enacting the first ever law in the country to protect the media and journalists, who have been paying a heavy price for upholding their right to “free and fearless reporting” of news and views.

Resource person Yogesh slated that the (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2017, adopted by both the Houses of the State’s legislature early this month, covers all journalists and media houses and organizations and makes the attacks on journalists and media establishments punishable with both fines and jail terms. The Act, however, also penalizes its willful misuse by journalists or media organizations. The participants found this session enlightening and helpful.

Post-lunch, the Second Session discussed on the roles and responsibilities of the Journalist’s in the changing sociopolitical context. Dr. Bhola Sarovar slated that the role of the media is influential in social change and social innovation processes.

“The role of the media in social change can either be progressive or conservative,” said one of the resource persons. Media can support the renewal of society by introducing new, constructive angles and new knowledge. It can question prevailing operative models and paradigms. The media can, however, also impede progress and cast doubt on warranted social reforms or take a passive stance in a change situation.

 

What is particularly important in a change situation is the feedback that policy-makers and other social actors receive through the media. It has a direct impact on how positively social reforms and initiatives are perceived and how likely they are to be accepted.

“The media could take a more active role in promoting social reform without compromising their journalistic principles. Involvement in social change does, however, require solid competence on behalf of the media,” said the Resource person.

The workshop concluded with all the participants having an open forum. The closing ceremony was done by Naagesh Girhe.

Rajesh Jadhav
Coordinator, VCLC

‘Water for life’ – Joint program of VCLC-NCCI and the EWN-WCC

‘Water for life’ –

Joint program of VCLC- National Council of Churches in India and the EWN-World Council of Churches

3rd November 2017 | NCCI Campus, Nagpur.

A one-day consultation on ‘Water for life’ was organized in the NCCI Campus on the 3rd of November 2017. It was a joint program of the Vidarbha Centre for Labour Concerns – National Council of Churches in India VCLC – NCCI) and Ecumenical Water Network – World Council of Churches (EWN – WCC). The 50 participants in the consultation were from the Church of North India, Mar Thoma Church, and the Orthodox Seminary, from faith-based organizations and also people (people of different faith traditions) from Butibori – MIDC and Totladoh who have been affected by developmental activities in the region. NCCI Secretaries and Interns also participated in this consultation.

The major focus of the program was on the International, National and Local issues of the Water Crisis as water is being commoditized and therefore this natural resource is made available unequally.

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MAY DAY CELEBRATION WITH THE MIGRANTS

Migrants form the largest part of India’s vast unorganised work sector. Their entry into the labour markets is marked with several endemic disadvantages. Devoid of critical skills, information and bargaining power, migrant workers often get caught in exploitative labour arrangements that force them to work in low-end, low-value, hazardous work. Lack of identity and legal protection accentuates this problem. The hardships of migrant workers are especially magnified when state boundaries are crossed and the distance between the “source” and “destination” increases. In India, thousands of people including men, women and children mostly Dalits and Adivasis, are forced to migrate from their homes to other places because of poverty, unemployment, limited economic activities, landlessness, global warming, environmental calamities, failure in agriculture due to uncertain monsoon and floods, deforestation, political persecution, poor medical care facilities in their native place, forced displacement due to so-called developmental work, and so on. Keeping these things in mind NCCI-Dalit and Tribal/Adivasi Concerns in partnership with Vidarbha Centre for Labour Concerns and Bahujan Rangbhoomi (street theatre group) celebrated May Day with more than 200 various labour migrants as well as locals from the Butibori and Hingna (Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation) MIDC area at Samvidhan Chowk (Constitution Square), Near Kasturchand Park, Nagpur on 1st May from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. This celebration was done through sharing of Experiences, Street Theatre performances, singing songs of Liberation and Expressions of social-workers.

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NCCI – VCLC Agrarian Crisis Consultation held

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An AGRARIAN CRISIS CONSULTATION was organized by Vidarbha Centre for Labour Concerns (VCLC), a project of National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) in Butibori on November 19 – 20, 2016. There were 30 people participating in the consultation. Prof. Dr. Yugal Rayalu presented a helpful analysis of the agricultural situation. Small group discussions catalyzed the issues, and the participants planned a draft to be submitted to the Government of Maharashtra Ministry of Agriculture during the winter assembly.

The issue of Farmers cooperative movement has gathered momentum after the NCCI – VCLC consultation.

Here are some pictures –

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Rajesh Jadhav
Coordinator
Vidarbha Centre for Labour Concerns
National Council of Churches in India.

 

Report of the Pithora Consultation 24-26, JANUARY 2016

To commemorate the long historic legacy of organizing people on issues of life by Comrade Gardiaji, Programme for Social Action [PSA], Public Justice Concern [PJC], Delhi Forum, Urban Rural Mission [URM] and Jan Jagruti Munch [JJM ] and the local groups came together to reflect upon and to redirect the vision of peoples struggle in the era of Neo Liberalization. Peoples Movements including activists of various issue based movements assert the principle that a consultation needs to be “people-driven”. Allowing delegates the time and space to tell their own stories contributes to that goal and plays a vital role in answering the real needs of the oppressed and the victims of the Neo Liberal System.

This principle was put into practice at this commemorative consultation in honour of Comrade Gardiaji on 24th-26th January 2016 in Pithora, Chattisgarh. Over 50 members representing  movements from all over India participated in this consultation. Stories of human rights being violated, of injustice, and of violence, as well as stories of liberation from bondage, dominated the agenda.

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Churches’ response to the crisis of Farmer Suicide

farmer-suicide2NCCI-URM and VCLC responded to this burning issue by visiting and being in solidarity with the families of farmers residing in the Turakmari, Butibori area on the 7th of July, 2015.  Dr.Roger Gaikwad, General Secretary of NCCI, Pranita, Intern of the URM, Sanjay Wankhede Support Staff and VCLC Coordinator Rajesh Jadhav had a in-depth analysis with and among themselves.
In a bizarre development, seven debt-ridden farmers, among them three women, in Maharashtra’s Wardha district have sought the administration’s “permission” to commit suicide.
“The situation has become so bad that these seven peasants have approached the district officials requesting their green signal to end their lives,” said Kishore Tiwari, president of the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti, an NGO working for farmers’ rights.

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