Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
You raised the issue of rural Delhi being deprived of basic facilities. What are these facilities?
Outer Delhi includes 360 villages spread over 21 assembly constituencies. Basic facilities like Mother Dairy and Safal outlets, Kendriya Vidyalayas and railway reservation counters are missing in these places. There isn’t a single public toilet between Badarpur and Narela. Over the years, these areas have been systematically neglected.
What, according to you, are the factors that led to these areas being marginalised?
These are the original inhabitants of Delhi and they are on their way to meet the fate of the Red Indians in the US or the aboriginals in Australia. Unless the original inhabitants are suppressed, the outsiders cannot flourish. Their land was acquired for peanuts. In places like Gurgaon and Noida, parts of their developed land were returned to the original inhabitants, but not in Delhi.
Why do you say the rural population is politically marginalised?
During Chhat puja, politicians make a beeline to be photographed performing the pooja. But the people of rural Delhi celebrate Teej during monsoon. Women swing in jhulas from trees during Teej, but does any politician show up to take photographs with them? Nobody cares whether or not the people of rural Delhi celebrate Teej.
Is the culture of rural Delhi also under threat of being wiped out?
(The promotion of) languages have been allocated Rs 67 crore in the budget. But Khadi Boli, spoken in rural Delhi, finds no mention. The language and culture of this belt need protection and promotion.
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
