The Crossbill News Desk
A protest led by the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) in Bhubaneswar on Friday (December 19) brought senior CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat to the forefront of demands for economic relief for women and justice for displaced tribal families.
Karat joined the rally calling for interest-free loans for women’s self-help groups and separately took up the issue of a tribal leader who has remained in custody despite being granted bail.
Karat, a patron of AIDWA and the general secretary of the Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch (AARM), met Sala Marandi, a tribal leader who was jailed during an eviction drive in Salia Sahi last month. After meeting him at the jail, she expressed serious concern over his continued detention.
“It is a matter of grave concern that despite being granted bail by the competent court, Sala Marandi has not yet been released from jail due to an unjustified and deliberate delay in verification of surety," she said after meeting Marandi at the jail, news agency PTI reported.
She alleged that the delay was intentional and aimed at stifling resistance. This delay is clearly mala fide and reflects a vindictive attitude of the police, intended to suppress democratic resistance and intimidate tribal leadership, Karat alleged.
Later in the day, Karat met Commissioner of Police S Dev Datta Singh and pressed for Marandi’s immediate release, pointing out that the court had already granted bail.
“The Police Commissioner heard us and assured us to examine the matter,” she said.
Raising broader issues concerning the tribal community, Karat demanded the dignified and lawful rehabilitation of 556 displaced families from Salia Sahi Adivasi Gaan in accordance with the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, and other relevant laws.
In the evening, Karat joined the AIDWA rally that marched from Master Canteen Square to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) building.
Addressing the gathering, she alleged a sharp rise in indebtedness among poor women across the state due to the practices of microfinance institutions.
AIDWA submitted a 10-pint charter of demands to the RBI, seeking zero per cent interest loans for self-help groups through public sector banks, a dedicated SHG lending mechanism in every bank branch, and the establishment of district- and block-level grievance redressal cells to address complaints of harassment. The organisation also called on the RBI to closely monitor MFIs and NBFCs at all levels, particularly with regard to interest rates, recovery methods and compliance with regulatory norms.
“A comprehensive law must be enacted to control, regulate, and monitor NBFCs and MFIs,” Karat said.
Karat joined the rally calling for interest-free loans for women’s self-help groups and separately took up the issue of a tribal leader who has remained in custody despite being granted bail.
Karat, a patron of AIDWA and the general secretary of the Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch (AARM), met Sala Marandi, a tribal leader who was jailed during an eviction drive in Salia Sahi last month. After meeting him at the jail, she expressed serious concern over his continued detention.
“It is a matter of grave concern that despite being granted bail by the competent court, Sala Marandi has not yet been released from jail due to an unjustified and deliberate delay in verification of surety," she said after meeting Marandi at the jail, news agency PTI reported.
She alleged that the delay was intentional and aimed at stifling resistance. This delay is clearly mala fide and reflects a vindictive attitude of the police, intended to suppress democratic resistance and intimidate tribal leadership, Karat alleged.
Later in the day, Karat met Commissioner of Police S Dev Datta Singh and pressed for Marandi’s immediate release, pointing out that the court had already granted bail.
“The Police Commissioner heard us and assured us to examine the matter,” she said.
Raising broader issues concerning the tribal community, Karat demanded the dignified and lawful rehabilitation of 556 displaced families from Salia Sahi Adivasi Gaan in accordance with the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, and other relevant laws.
In the evening, Karat joined the AIDWA rally that marched from Master Canteen Square to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) building.
Addressing the gathering, she alleged a sharp rise in indebtedness among poor women across the state due to the practices of microfinance institutions.
AIDWA submitted a 10-pint charter of demands to the RBI, seeking zero per cent interest loans for self-help groups through public sector banks, a dedicated SHG lending mechanism in every bank branch, and the establishment of district- and block-level grievance redressal cells to address complaints of harassment. The organisation also called on the RBI to closely monitor MFIs and NBFCs at all levels, particularly with regard to interest rates, recovery methods and compliance with regulatory norms.
“A comprehensive law must be enacted to control, regulate, and monitor NBFCs and MFIs,” Karat said.
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