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World Bank @ 80: Radical Restructuring, Not Reforms https://apmdd.org/worldbankat80/ Joe Athialy
 October 8, 2024   it conceded to a few demands of communities and civil society organizations, like operational policy revisions resulting in relatively progressive social and environmental safeguard policies, establishing independent accountability mechanisms, transparency policies, and alike. ..  however, the Bank found ways to weaken the effectiveness of these policies and mechanisms, found ways to bypass them, and forged new partnerships and collaborations to take forward their neo-liberal agenda, corporate welfarism, and undermine the sovereignty of emerging economies. 

Eight decades later, the United States continues to be the largest shareholder at the Bank, having a veto on every decision. 

 radical restructuring

Democratization of governance from one-dollar-one-vote to one-country-one-vote 

Shifting its focus from climate change to climate and economic justice. 

Strengthening transparency and accountability mechanisms

Eliminating any loan conditions that impose neoliberal policies

Prioritizing initiatives aimed at reducing inequality 

Fostering partnerships with a wider range of stakeholders, including grassroots organizations and social movements, to create a more inclusive approach to global development.

Save Aarey: Lessons from the movement with environmentalists Rishi Agarwal and Vidyadhar Pathak  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piZL4VuR7Ls  Citizen Matters
Jun 10, 2024 
Rishi Aggarwal, an environmentalist, founder of the Mumbai Sustainability Centre and the Walking Project, was active in the Aarey Movement for several years. 

After realising that the Metro car shed would not be shifted, he felt that one should stop the fight and probably try and work on other struggles. He strongly feels that the time for action at Aarey was a decade ago in 2014-15 and not later. He has now written a book about his experience with the movement, titled, "Saving Aarey: The undoing of an environmental campaign.” 

The book not only traces the journey of the movement, but also critically looks at the role played by politicians, policy makers and most importantly, the middle-class of the city. 

Citizen Matters hosted an online discussion with author Rishi Aggarwal and environmentalist Vidyadhar Pathak, just before the book launch on June 5th. 

In a straightforward and honest conversation about the movement and other environmental issues that plague the city, Rishi underscored the importance of civic participation in safeguarding the forests and green lungs. 

He and Vidyadhar highlighted that if development projects do not take environmental impact into consideration, we are headed for hotter summers, drier monsoons and severe winters. And it is for people to helm the struggle to save their cities from climate change.  https://citizenmatters.in/

https://citizenmatters.in/mumbai-aarey-movement-nine-years/ The Metro Car Shed will come in Aarey Forest but the tribal community, citizens and activists keep the good fight on for city's precious trees. 

https://youtu.be/uUCyZaC05Hg?t=224 Basant covered the Haryana elections and reported on the influence of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Ram Rahim on the polls. He talks about the political dynamics between different parties and workers on the ground and how Ram Rahim followers vote en bloc.

https://www.newslaundry.com/2024/10/03/ram-rahim-is-silent-ahead-of-haryana-polls-but-his-deras-message-is-set-to-ring-out-loud 

According to sources from the dera, a decision to vote for a particular party is taken at the top level after discussions at various levels – the village, block, district and state.  Sources claimed that the first discussion happens at the level of a loose gathering of the dera’s supporters within a village. The choice of the party is then communicated to the premi sewak, who is in-charge of carrying out the dera’s activities in a village. The premi sewak then informs the block premi sewak, who in turn discusses it with a 15-member district panel. The decision of the district panel is passed on to an 85-member state committee, which conveys it to the top management. The final decision is then relayed back to the followers through the sangat – the network of the dera’s supporters.

However, dera spokesperson Jitendra Khurana said, “Pitaji (Ram Rahim) has nothing to do with the decision of the sangat. The sangat takes the decision at its own level. Pitaji has never made any decision about voting for any political party.”