JOIN USAhead of the Lok Sabha elections, Civil Society’s Forum in the City has demanded political parties to ensure passing of the Lokpal Bill.
The forum submitted a representation to political parties on Saturday to include some of its demands in their manifestos. About 30 organisations are part of the forum, and 19 have endorsed the representation, according to Kathyayani Chamraj of CIVIC.
The organisations have demanded an effective Lokpal at the Centre and effective Lokayuktas in the states with due autonomy to file cases without seeking sanctions. The organisations have also voiced against Foreign Direct Investment and demanded that it not be encouraged in a country like India.
Effectively indexed
When it comes to poverty, the forum has demanded that the poverty criteria be based on incorporating locational, social, physical and occupational vulnerabilities and that it should be effectively indexed to rise according to the cost of living.
Minimum monthly income guarantee for farmers, bringing in policy measures to curb distress migration, passing law on property rights to slum dwellers, stopping privatisation of water supply, passing of 33 per cent reservation bill for women in Assemblies and Parliament and to increase it to 50 per cent are among their other demands.
The organisations include Association of People With Disability, CIVIC, Child Rights Trust, Centre for Informal Education and Development Studies. Representatives from BJP, AAP, JD(S) and CPI (M) took part in the event.