Over 100 NGOs gather on one platform to take up development issues

Ahmedabad, Mar 10 (UNI) About 6,000 people today congregated here to participate in the three-day Gujarat Social Forum, which will discuss issues related to globalisation and its impact and other social evils.

The event, which is being organised on the lines of the World Social Forum, has brought together at least 105 NGOs from across the state. ''This is an effort to channelise their energies towards a common goal,'' said Sonal Mehta, an organiser of the event.

About 140 events, including 60 seminars, workshops and numerous cultural programmes will be held during the three-day event.

The issues which will come up for deliberations will include corporatisation of agriculture, contract farming, 'casualisation of workers in the unorganised sectors, deindustrialisation, marginalisation of the poor in the name of development and the like, she told reporters here.

The GSF, in accordance with the WSF policy, has not invited any government officials. Moreover, the organisers and participant NGOs do not plan to approach the state government with any recommendations from their discussions.

''There are many issues which have been forced upon us by the government like marginalisation of the poor in the name of developing Ahmedabad into a megacity or creating divides among people along lines of religion, or who is desh-drohi (traitor) and desh premi (patriotism). All these will be taken up by the forum,'' said Sonal.

Films and documentaries on issues and strategies of importance to Gujarat will be screened throughout the day.

Sociologist Rajni Kothari, Gujarath Vidyapeeth Vice Chancellor Sudarshan Iyengar, many NGO activists like Sushma Iyengar, Renu Khanna, theatre personality Habib are expected to take part in the event.

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