Kozhikode: After the Covid pandemic, inequality and social polarization have increased, said senior journalist and writer P. Sainath. He was speaking at the inauguration of the National NGO Conference organized by People’s Foundation in Kozhikode.
We understand Covid-19 as an epidemic. But beyond the Covid epidemic, there are three social epidemics that exist here: one of them is inequality. Another is viewing individuals who react against the government as political criminals and suppressing them. The third is the increase in casteism in society and social polarization, the Magsaysay Award winning journalist noted.
The Constitution itself is a solution to the current social order based on discrimination, he said; non-discriminatory social construction should be made possible by strengthening constitutional values and through constitutional protection movements like farmers’ strikes.
People’s Foundation Chairman V. T. Abdulla Koya presided over the inaugural session. Vice Chairman of Human Welfare Foundation T. Arifali delivered the keynote speech. He said the oppressed social groups are empowering themselves through the activities of NGOs. Empowerment activities carried out by such social groups should be seen as a part of national development rather than on communal lines. He added that in the current political and social milieu, the minority sections are moving towards more insecurity.
The bureaucracy is spreading propaganda that the public is the enemy of the environment and some pseudo-environmentalists are justifying it, said eminent ecologist, academic and writer Prof. Madhav Gadgil. He was speaking online on the topic ‘the role of NGOs in environmental protection’ at the National NGO Conference organized by the People’s Foundation in Kozhikode. The anti-environmental policies of the rulers are interpreted as environmental protection and the general public is portrayed as anti-environment. He also states that NGOs should try to approach things honestly and objectively, doing away with prejudices.
The conference arrayed presentations and discussions on various topics held in 14 sessions. As many as three hundred delegates representing more than 150 NGOs from various states participated. Centre for Management Development Chairman SM Vijayanand IAS (Retd.) made the valedictory address. Foundation Chief Patron P Mujeeb Rahman was the Chief Guest in the valedictory session.
The two-day conference was also attended by guests including CARE India Chairman Mathew Cherian, PV Abdul Wahab MP, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan Co-Founder Nikhil Dey, Former Executive Director, Pradhan, Narendranath Damodaran, Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration & Development Chairman S Irudaya Rajan, Azim Premji Philanthropy Initiative Senior Program Manager Anil Ramprasad, Dhan Foundation Program Leader B Muthukumarasamy, Kudumbashree Chief Operating Officer Sajith Sukumaran, Former Head of Department of Community Medicine, Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Prof. Dr. Vijayakumar, Director, Institute of Palliative Medicines (IPM) Suresh Kumar, KFRI Principal Scientist Dr. Sreekumar VB, Former Director, Gulati Institute of Finance & Taxation D. Narayana, The Banyan Director Dr. Kishore Kumar, Faculty of Centre for Development Studies Prof. J Devika, Access Livelihoods Executive Director GV Krishnagopal, Thanal Thiruvananthapuram Executive Director Jayakumar C, MediaOne Managing Editor C Dawood, Larry Baker Centre for Habitat Studies Associate Shailaja Nair, Media Academy Principal Sadiq Mampad and more than 50 other prominent personalities.
