It’s changing time for Peepli Live

It’s changing time for Peepli Live…… People are setting up stage for change……..at least I witnessed this today in Basawer village of Maharajganj District…..

A great day for Swaraj Campaign… Panchayat election dates are announced, it’s high time in Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Deoria districts where 5 big meetings took place today and five similar are scheduled for tomorrow. Each meeting was attended by at approx 1500-3000 villagers from surrounding villages. Father Gibi Jose and his team from Poorvanchal Grameen Seva Samiti(PGSS) has worked hard in these villages. And the result is that these meetings are transforming into hunch for Swaraj…. Demand for Swaraj….

In 1993 government India (GOI) was spending Rs.7600 crore (Rs76 billion) per year on poverty elevation, today it’s spending Rs.1,30,000/- crore (Rs1300 billion rupees)per year on the same. The poverty has increased directly proportional to the budget for poverty elevation of GOI …..

So, now these people are demanding Swaraj… they are not demanding development, not even schemes….. they are demanding power to control every fund, function and functionary… control over day to day governance rather than power to elect their ruler once in a 5 years and then keep begging for next five years…..

And this Panchayat Election is an opportunity to set up ground for this change…. Best part of this effort is that all the costs to these meetings is being contributed by village women themselve. No donation, no project..only people and thier contribution...

Father Gibi Jose of PGSS spoke like a hardcore activist with such passion and anger against the system. This is first time I heard him speaking.

Skit performance on Swaraj by local artists

And when there was gathering of  more than 1500 people, it was a good business time also ..Yes media was not there because there was no Nattha to announce suicide..

And this was a joke of the day. The District Information Officer (a senior officer) spoke for 5 minutes holding a magazine with cover photo of UP Chief Minister like his god mother.