Our Justice MANIFESTO
Our Purpose
‘Justice Movement of India’ is a citizen-led movement that aims to educate, empower, encourage and engage Indian citizens to achieve a world of justice.
We envision a World of Justice where no citizen will be discriminated against based on religion, color, caste, creed, sex, gender, etc. We work for a world where income, wealth, resources, and opportunities are equitably shared amongst all citizens. We extend the concept of justice not only to humans but to nature and other species, so we emphasise that citizens are primarily responsible for protecting our ecology and biodiversity.
As a movement, the systemic change we aspire for is fourfold: Social, Economical, Political, and Environmental. We wish to bring social change through grass-root level campaigns, economic change by focusing on equitable and inclusive development, political change through policy-level innovation, and environmental change through safeguarding the rights of nature.
Vision
- Make India a progressive nation by making our local communities just, resilient, inclusive and sustainable regarding social, economic, political, and environmental justice.
- Educate and Encourage citizens to fully realise their constitutional rights and fulfil their responsibilities.
- Empower and Engage citizens in establishing wellbeing-based communities where humans, nature, and other species' rights are protected.
Mission
- Initiate a discourse on systemic change, which can be achieved through progressive, clean, and green politics, where every citizen has the accessibility to participate in the policy-making process and become a people’s representative.
- Organise citizens around grass-root level issues and launch campaigns to influence relevant stakeholders in order to execute sustainable solutions.
The Story
Chapter 1: Is India a progessive nation?
Soon after achieving independence, the political class swiftly took control of
India from founding members and leaders. Politicians had many opportunities
to transform our country progressively; significant developments, such as
establishing educational and research institutions, space research centers, and
tremendous agricultural growth. From 1947 to 1990, India followed a policy
framework called License and Permit Raj. This policy framework is also known
as planning-based policy, inspired by the USSR (then Russia). The policy states
that the government’s permission is mandatory for any and every action.
It was during this period that the first five-year plan started (1951). The
primary concern was to mitigate hunger and reduce severe poverty because
80-90% of the population’s livelihood depended only on agriculture. India could
attain these goals but only partially. In this phase, people’s choices were strictly
controlled.
The progress in agriculture resolved the hunger crisis. The green revolution
played an instrumental role in this crisis resolution. However, the
policymakers could not see the fact that poverty is a multifaceted phenomenon;
to alleviate it, we need quality of work, quality of living, a reduction in
malnutrition level, and an increase in income level. Therefore, working
towards increasing the income level alone was insufficient to uplift the people
below the poverty line. But the population was growing at a high rate, and GDP
stagnated; the annual average was at the rate of 3-4%, and the government too
was unable to meet the needs of the poor. Resultantly, poverty levels
skyrocketed further.
During this period, entrepreneurs want to avoid establishing businesses
because of massive taxes, and most industries were established and run by the
government. For example, there was only one car company, and the
government manufactured the cars. The public sector alone could not provide
jobs, and thus unemployment increased. All these factors led to a crisis in
India, resulting in liberalizing our economy, with the government’s
withdrawal of control on markets and private entities taking over. The year
1990 marked the beginning of Liberalization.
In the following chapter, we shall glimpse the post-liberalization era.
Chapter 2: Liberalization, is it a true breakthrough?
In the last chapter, we have seen an overview of India’s political, economic, and
social status after independence. The government-controlled most actions of
citizens, including their wants and choices. Businesses could not boom because
of the government’s involvement in all key sectors. Although the hunger crisis
was resolved through the green revolution, but poverty rose due to low quality
of life and income level and stagnated GDP. 1990 marked the beginning of
liberalization; private entities took over with the government’s withdrawal of
control of markets.
From 1990 to present-day India, the policy framework followed is
Neoliberalism inspired by the USA. The Indian market was open to foreign
investors and received FDI (Foreign direct investment). This led to a massive
boom in the IT sector in cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, and
Kolkata. We have been moving towards an interconnected and globalized
world as a country.
Our priority today is to eradicate poverty and achieve industrial growth. The
state’s control is out of the picture, and our wants have increased
tremendously; we have various choices. On the other hand, the middle-class
population has been growing continuously; but 60 % of the population still
relies on agriculture for a livelihood. The GDP has increased, and the annual
average is at the rate of 6-7%. However, this rapid economic growth did not
result in employment. This era became an advantage to entrepreneurs due to
tax reductions. Resultantly, startups flourished.
According to experts, India’s primary achievement during this period was the
poverty level reduction (which was true until the Covid-19 pandemic). However,
these experts should have noted that the mere uplifting of people above the
poverty line via a rise in the income level doesn’t address multiple other facets
of poverty, and these issues remain unattended. The neoliberal policy
framework worked well to an extent, but it produced unprecedented problems
such as:
1) Income Inequality; according to the Time to Care Oxfam report released in
2020, 42.8 % of total national wealth is in the hands of the Top 1% of the
population, and the bottom 50% only own 2.8% of total national wealth.
2) Increase of monopoly power of big private companies with the help of
politicians due to crony capitalism.
3) Violations of labour rights, unreasonably low wages, and punishing work
hours.
4) Damage to the environment, the drain of natural resources, and climate
change due to the irresponsibility of government and private companies.
This period saw a roadblock by the Global recession in 2008 (caused by the
flaws of neoliberal policies practiced in the USA). Since then, this policy
framework did not work well in any country; politicians and the media were all
aware of this, yet masked the harsh truth and hard facts with layers of false
emotions to divide the country to attain votes during elections.
That situation can be noticed in the United States and, unfortunately, very
much in today’s India. Even after 12 years of the downfall of the neoliberal
policy framework, we are still working around failed policies and accelerating
toward the privatization of everything. It fulfilled the wants and needs of only
the top 1% of the population, and the remaining 99%, i.e., the middle class and
the poor, are still struggling to meet basic needs. According to the recently
released CMIE May-August report, the unemployment rate in India is 7.43%,
which stands highest among graduates at 17.4%. These figures are comparable
to those before the Covid 19 pandemic because India’s economic crisis started in
2019.
The critical lesson to learn here is how a policy-making framework
implemented by politicians is essential for the nation and community
development. The current definition of development for our politicians is only
GDP growth. The United Nations, in the year 1990, analysed and reported that
GDP could not be an indicator of the quality of living in a country. Hence, the
UN conceptualized the Human Development Index (HDI) to replace the GDP.
The HDI is designed based on people’s education, income, and health in a
particular country. In 2022’s Human Development Index report, India stood at
132nd Rank out of 191 recognized countries. That indicates that our country is
in crisis due to the past 30 years of neoliberal policies.
In a democratic country like ours, people elect representatives to formulate
policies for the welfare of the people. But our politicians are implementing
policies & laws considering corporate interests and profits but not people’s
needs. Any voice raised against policies not focused on citizens’ welfare is
suppressed, threatening the constitutionally granted freedom of speech and
freedom of expression.
That reduced India’s ranking from 27th in the democracy index in 2014 to
46th in 2021. To be known as the largest democracy in the world and be
labeled as flawed democracy is truly painful; every Indian citizen should know
that we live in a broken democracy today.
In the following chapter, we shall look at a framework that has always been in
place but has yet to implement effectively. Simultaneously, let us learn about
the rise of a new spirit to build grass root level democracy in India.
Chapter 3: A new framework towards progressive India
In the last chapter, in detail, we understood the loopholes in neoliberalism and
privatization, where we learned that superficial changes could not address
grass-root level problems. What India needs to become a progressive nation is
a new framework. A framework that does not require reinventing the wheel
but the one that our freedom fighters and leaders advocated even before
independence. In this chapter, let us look at the new framework.
The failure of Neoliberalism and privatization shows a need for a new policy
framework in India; there is also an immediate need for change in politics
because our political class, irrespective of political parties, has failed our
country in many areas of development from 1947 till date. We have always
hoped that responsible citizens, young and educated minds, would enter into
politics and revolutionize the system. However, that did not happen, and as a
society, we adjusted to the existing system and with corrupted politicians. It is
now high time to change our thought process, politics, and policy framework
as a whole.
The crisis in India can only be solved by bringing change in our political
system and introducing a policy framework that is inherently crafted for the
welfare of the people. Many leaders and experts view local self-governance as
one such framework as the best; even our founding members have strongly
advocated it before and since independence. So, let us now understand what it
means and its implications.
In 1992, through the 73rd and 74th amendments to the constitution, local
government bodies- Panchayati Raj system (rural self-governance) and
Municipalities (urban self-governance) were made mandatory to be
implemented by every state. Today, in India, we see power division in only two
levels: Central and State. While we all know there is local self-governance, it is
only nominal. The state government allocates less to no power to local
government bodies. This hinders the decentralization of power needed to solve
local problems like sanitation, improper roads, healthcare accessibility,
education, electricity issues, etc. In fact, having power at community levels to
solve local problems is what makes a grass root-level democracy.
Even though we have municipalities, municipal corporations, gram
panchayats, Mandal, and Zilla Parishad entities, they need more resources and
capacities. This is because state governments actively make a choice not to
allow power, funds, staff, and policymaking to be decentralized. After more
than 30 years of amendments, our state governments have conveniently
ignored the effective implementation of local self-governance ; this led to urban
flooding, inaccessibility of healthcare in rural areas, lack of employment,
unsustainable development, and many more issues.
As we know, in 2015, the United Nations released 17 sustainable development
goals (SDGs) and set a target for every country to reach these goals by 2030.
The UN recently released the 2022- SGDs Index, in which India stands 121 out
of 166 countries. This index shows how we are lagging behind in all the
developmental goals. Still, not very surprisingly, our politicians believe that
development is only better roads and infrastructure and conveniently ignore
the quality of education, healthcare, employment, quality work, sewage
system, and environment.
Many social, economic, and political scholars and experts firmly believe we can
achieve all 17 Sustainable Development Goals through grass root change and
community sustainability. To build sustainable communities and make India a
progressive nation, it is time for a new policy framework that replaces
Neoliberalism, which has led to the current crisis in India. Solving this crisis is
possible only through local self-governance. Decentralization and sustainable
communities lead to the country’s development as a whole. Moving from a
centrally imposed market system to local markets is necessary. We must create
community-based entrepreneurial ecosystems to solve local problems and
create jobs. We need to safeguard our people and environment to aspiring for
sustainable development. Sustainable community development and local
market economy are alternatives to Neoliberalism and centralized Market
economy.
Therefore, raising our voices against anti-people laws is necessary to restore
and sustain democracy; however, still, the power is with the political class to
make or break the country. To fight for progressive policies, there is another
pathway in democracy, a road less travelled by the common people that is
through contesting in the elections.
Aiming at grass-root level problem resolution, conserving nature, social
harmony, and political & economic equity, we have started the JUSTICE
MOVEMENT OF INDIA (JMI). The JMI envisions making India a progressive
nation by making our local communities just, resilient, inclusive, and
sustainable. That involves educating and encouraging citizens to realise their
constitutional rights and fulfill their responsibilities fully. Most importantly,
JMI aims to work towards empowering and engaging citizens in establishing
sustainable communities where humans, nature, and other species’ rights are
protected.
The Founding members and freedom fighters have remarkably noted that
India lives in villages, the country’s backbone. This is where we have to start
building the nation. Local self-governance is the long overdue framework that
is needed to develop communities. This is only possible through decentralizing
power, funds, staff, and policy-making to local government bodies to establish
grassroots level participatory democracy.
The time has come; suppose you are a teacher, doctor, farmer, engineer,
lawyer, activist, or responsible citizen. In that case, this is our request to you,
now is the time to change our politics which is possible only when we stand
united. Today, we are fighting for our welfare in the streets, but we must fight
for our future on the ballot box (or EVM machines). We need a justice
movement in India to see the development our freedom fighters have dreamed
of before independence. Here is my appeal to fellow Indians: wherever you are
in India, let us unite and change the politics and policy-making.
“Democracy becomes alive from the place where citizens live and breathe.
Thus, Local self-governance and community sustainability are the way forward
for implementing true democracy.”
Our Action Points
Social Justice
The motive of "Social Justice" is to transition to a fair and equitable soceity wherein every individual, irrespective of their identity/idententies, is granted equaly rights and opportunities and treated justly.
Our motto is to promote 'coexistence, harmony, and empathy towards other citizens' while the government and civil soceity act as catalysts for systemic changes to facilitate the desired Just soceity.
We propose to do that by,
- Working towards the abolition of orthodoxy and discrimination due to religion, caste, ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, geographic region, education, financial, capacity, etc
- Protecting marginalised people and labourers through a respectable minimum wage for a comfortable and healthy living.
- Ensuring that everyone has access to affordable and effective health care. And access to quality, affordable, and preferably free education.
- Fostering critical and creative thinking about social, ecological, economic, and political issues. Consequently, the legislation to implement the inclusion of liberal arts, performing arts, and crafts in education.
- Promoting pluralism, secularism, solidarity, and diversity through performing arts and literature.
- Aiming for individual rights, and collectivistic values, and encouraging cooperation rather than competition.
- Initiating the discourse on healthy parenting, healthy love, and unhealthy relationships- sometimes leading to domination and violence.
- Implementing children-friendly socio-cultural policies that ensure the best possible future for children, as they are the backbone of the society.
- Aspiring for well-being through mental and physical health rather than purely economic and materialistic gains.
- Emphasising the role of individuals in communal harmony and community wellbeing.
Economic Justice
The motive of “Economic Justice” is a transition to a well-being-based economy that facilitates sustainable, equitable, and inclusive community development.
Our motto is to prioritise ‘people & planet over profits’ and mitigate the inequality of wealth, income, opportunities, and resources.
We propose to do that by,
- Enforcing private & public organisations to replace shareholder’s value maximisation (investors) for profits with stakeholder’s value creation (employees, customers, suppliers, community, and investors) organisational policy for sustainability.
- Resolving the modern dilemma of career versus passion, which arises due to the less possibility of work opportunities for different career paths in the present world.
- Encouraging students' scientific curiosity, artistic endeavours, and systems thinking rather than competitiveness accompanied by standardised testing.
- Cognizing the value of care work -- paid or unpaid and done mainly by women -- in households and agricultural activities.
- Encouraging sustainable entrepreneurial and business ventures, especially workers' cooperatives, to deal with social and ecological problems faced in the community.
- Regularising Contractual jobs and providing them equal pay/allowances at par with the salaried employees with job security and fixed tenure.
- Mandating Social Security for everyone including health, unemployment, pension, legal and other kinds of insurance to ensure a safe and secure future for the citizens
- Emphasising a circular and community-based economy for having resilient and regenerative communities.
- Increasing the local supply chain rather than the global supply chain to reduce the ecological footprint, create a local economy and foster sustainable green jobs at the community level.
Political Justice
The motive of “Political Justice” is to create an accessible, transparent and accountable system; where every individual has the opportunity to participate in the governance process, and everyone is treated equally before the law irrespective of their political status.
Our motto is to encourage ‘Citizens to take the less travelled route in democracy called contesting elections to bring the change we deserve.’
We propose to do that by,
- Eliminating the influence of money in politics by curbing corporate lobbying, black money, and bribery in elections.
- Mandating transparent funding and expenditure in election campaigns, with strict penalties for violations.
- Encouraging altruistic, capable individuals with political will and integrity to join politics, rather than those driven by power or greed.
- Motivating underrepresented groups—Youth, Women, LGBTQIA+, minorities, and marginalised communities—to contest elections at all levels (Local, State, and National).
- Ensuring proportionate representation of all the underrepresented groups in government bodies to reflect India's diversity and advance equity in governance.
- Ending the culture of vote-bank politics, focusing instead on community-based development and progress.
- Promoting India’s transformation from a liberal democracy to a participatory democracy, where citizens actively engage in decision-making processes.
- Establishing civic engagement groups and citizens’ assemblies in rural and urban areas to ensure participatory democracy in safeguarding human rights, commons, and biodiversity.
- Decentralizing power, funds, and governance by strengthening the three-tier government system (Panchayats, Municipalities, and State Governments) as enshrined in the Constitution.
- Ensuring all municipal services are corruption-free, accessible to all citizens, and adhere to sustainability practices.
- Reforming the voting system to fairer alternatives like Ranked Choice Voting, Rated Voting, or Proportional Representation to ensure more inclusive and equitable representation.
- Fostering evidence-based, systems-thinking approaches in policy-making that focus on Equity, Justice, Productivity, and Sustainability as guiding principles.
- Focusing on the three crucial phases of the policy cycle—feasibility, implementation, and evaluation—to ensure impactful and practical outcomes.
- Mandating the transparent, independent, and accessible functioning of the Judiciary.
- Strengthening citizens' access to judicial remedies through simpler and fairer processes.
- Establishing a Police Function Audit Organisation (PFAO) to monitor the efficiency of police departments, curb misuse by political parties, and ensure their autonomous functioning.
- Treating organized crimes separately from regular crimes, as they destroy trust in governance and weaken democracy.
- Implementing reforms that prevent political interference in law enforcement and municipal operations.
- Abiding to the constitutionally promised secular treatment of all religions irrespective of the personal religion of the governing politicians.
- Encouraging sustainable, evidence-based interventions to tackle climate change and improve the quality of life for all citizens.
- Ensuring sustainable urban and rural development by promoting green initiatives and prioritizing biodiversity and ecological balance.
- Modifying the Preamble to emphasize Sustainability as a core principle, changing "Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic" to "Sovereign Socialist Secular Sustainable Democratic Republic."
- Expanding the definition of justice in the Preamble from "JUSTICE, social, economic, and political" to "JUSTICE, social, economic, political, and environmental," ensuring our guiding document addresses the ecological challenges of our era.
Environmental Justice
The motive of “Environmental justice” is to put forward specific measures to achieve a world that is resilient, more prosperous, and more respectful of the environment and to guarantee equal access to natural resources and decisions about environmental issues.
Our motto is to fight for a healthy environment, save mother earth (Biodiversity and Commons), and have the right to be free from ecological destruction.
We propose to do that by,
- Ensuring environmental justice is aligned with political, economic, and social justice, particularly for poor and marginalised people. And work towards the equitable distribution of natural resources to ensure inclusive growth.
- Adopting simple living, decarbonized lifestyle, and unwasteful consumption. Restricting urbanisation and concretization of communities while ensuring the survival of architectural heritage.
- Ensuring environmental severe impact assessment of all industries, old and new.
- Increasing awareness about the individual responsibility for protecting flora and fauna in the community.
- Establishing Community-wide seed banks, nurseries, and kitchen gardens in homes, educational institutions, and public & private organisations. And local governments should also put in the water infrastructure needed to set up these seed networks.
- Implementing renewable energy generation systems for the requirements of the community.
- Increasing science & technology research awareness to foster green innovations in various research fields to mitigate climate change.
- Restricting the overshoot in the ‘planetary boundaries’ within the limits of earth’s safe operating space.
- Increasing greenery and sanitation; eliminate non-biodegradable waste: and conserve and rehabilitate agricultural soil health.
- Implementing renewable energy generation systems for the requirements of the community.
Appendix
- Planetary Boundaries - Stratospheric ozone depletion, loss of biosphere integrity, chemical pollution, climate change, ocean acidification, freshwater consumption, deforestation, land use change, pollution of the atmosphere, and change in nitrogen and phosphorus cycle