किशोर उपाध्याय ने राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष सोनिया गांधी को लिखा पत्र, वनाधिकार क़ानून- 2006 के आलोक में वनाधिकार आन्दोलन के मुद्दों पर चुनाव लड़ने का किया आग्रह
Garh Ninad Desk
नई टिहरी। “Climate Change, वन अधिकार और उत्तराखंडियों को केंद्र सरकार में 27% OBC आरक्षण हो, अगले विधानसभा चुनाव के मुद्दे, वोटर उन्हें ही जिताये, जो यह सब लाने का संकल्प ले, प्रतिज्ञा ले और विश्वास दिलाये।”
सूबे के पूर्व कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष और वनाधिकार आन्दोलन के संस्थापक प्रणेता किशोर उपाध्याय ने कांग्रेस की राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष श्रीमती सोनिया गांधी को पत्र लिखकर आगामी विधानसभा चुनाव में UPA सरकार द्वारा बनाये वनाधिकार
क़ानून-2006 के आलोक में वनाधिकार आन्दोलन के मुद्दों पर चुनाव लड़ने का आग्रह किया है।
उपाध्याय ने अपने पत्र में यह भी कहा है कि उत्तराखंडियों को OBC न मानना उनके साथ अन्याय हो रहा है, जबकि वे मण्डल कमीशन के मानक़ों के अनुसार OBC की श्रेणी में आते हैं।
उपाध्याय ने पत्र में लिखा है कि सूबे में कांग्रेस की सरकार बनने पर वनों पर उत्तराखंडियों के पुश्तैनी हक़-हक़ूक़ों की क्षति पूर्ति के रूप में:-
*परिवार के एक सदस्य को योग्यतानुसार पक्की सरकारी नौकरी, केंद्र सरकार की सेवाओं में आरक्षण , बिजली पानी व रसोई गैस निशुल्क , जड़ी बूटियों पर स्थानीय समुदायों को अधिकार, जंगली जानवरों से जनहानि होने पर परिवार के एक सदस्य को पक्की सरकारी नौकरी तथा
50 लाख रुपये क्षतिपूर्ति, फसल की हानि पर प्रतिनाली 5 हजार रुपये क्षतिपूर्ति, एक यूनिट आवास निर्माण के लिये लकड़ी, रेत-बजरी व पत्थर निशुल्क, शिक्षा व चिकित्सा निशुल्क, उत्तराखंडी OBC घोषित हों, भू-कानून बने, जिसमें वन व अन्य भूमि को भी शामिल जाय और राज्य में तुरंत चकबंदी हो।”
मण्डल कमीशन के 27% आरक्षण के सभी मानक़ों पर उत्तराखंड खरा उतरता है और हमें केंद्र सरकार की आरक्षण की परिधि में शामिल करेंगे।
प्रेषित पत्र:–
“To,
Smt Sonia Gandhi ji President
Indian National Congress
Subject: Suggested manifesto points for upcoming elections in Uttarakhand
Respected Ma’am,
I am writing to put forth some important points for inclusion in the Congress manifesto for the upcoming Assembly elections in Uttarakhand. These points are based on my experience of working on state-level issues for the last five years. It may also be noted that the Jharkhand Assembly elections were won on similar issues pertaining to the state.
The two key points that I would like to submit for inclusion in the party manifesto are as follows:
1. Implementation of The Forests Rights Act 2006
According to The Forests Rights Act 2006, the people of Uttarakhand will be given their ancestral rights, including water, forest and land. Uttarakhand is a border state adjoining China. Our forests have been snatched and injustice has been done with the people of the state. We are living on only 3% land – the remaining is forest. We demand that the Forests Rights Act 2006 is implemented, and our rights are compensated in the form of:
a. Skill-based government job for one member of each family
b. Reservation in central government services
c. Free electricity, water and cooking gas
d. Right of local communities on medicinal herbs
e. In case of damage caused by wild animals, permanent government job for one member of the family and compensation of Rs 50,00,000 on loss of life; and compensation of Rs 5,000 per nali on loss of crop
f. Wood for construction of a housing unit
g. Free sand, gravel and stone
h. Free education and medicine
i. Declaration of Uttarakhandi-s as OBC
j. Formation of land law that includes forests and other land
k. Immediate land consolidation
Further, Uttarakhand fulfils all points of the 27% reservation under Mandal Commission and so we should be included in the central government’s categories of reservation.
2. Declaration of Uttarakhandi-s as OBC
Page 52 of the Mandal Commission Report says that those race or classes in which
25% people never received any education or 25% did not complete their education or 25% people have only passed 10th grade, such race or communities should be included in the list of OBCs. Even today the hilly and rural areas of Uttarakhand fulfil these criteria.
This report also includes four economic criteria:
a. When the family wealth of 25% people is less than the state’s average
1 National Commission for Backward Classes (www-ncbc-nic-in.translate.goog)
b. When 50% people have to cover a distance of at least half a kilometer to access drinking water
c. When the domestic debt of 25% people is more than the state’s average
d. When more than 25% people live in mud houses
Since no survey has been done on these four criteria, no indicators/statistics are available for these. Although, according to the report developed by G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment & Sustainable Development – Almora in 2018 in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme, more than two-thirds of villages in Uttarakhand do not have adequate supply of water. Out of the state’s total villages (15,165), approximately 20% face some water-related issues.
Given this background it becomes imperative that the State Legislative Assembly passes the
resolution to constitutionally declare all communities of Uttarakhand as OBC, so that people of Uttarakhand, especially those living in hilly regions get their constitutional rights and it is ensured that people of Uttarakhand can exercise their constitutional right of being included in the category of 27% reservation for central government jobs. The Legislative Assembly is requested to direct the state government to conduct a comprehensive survey based on the Mandal Commission criteria. Since the National Backward Classes Commission enjoys a constitutional status, therefore the state government may request the Central Government.
You may remember that I have been working on ground level issues for more than two decades and was associated with the anti-liquor movement, Tehri rehabilitation movement, Save Ganges Movement, Save Himalaya movement and Forest Rights Movement. I am hopeful that you will consider these points as we prepare for the upcoming elections.
Warm regards.
Yours faithfully,
Kishore Upadhyay
Former PCC President
Uttarakhand”
उपाध्याय ने बताया कि सूबे के प्रभारी सर्व श्री देवेन्द्र यादव, हरीश रावत, प्रीतम सिंह और गणेश गोदियाल व नव प्रभात जी को भी पत्र की प्रतिलिपि प्रेषित की गयी है।
