Bapu Ke Log, a coalition of Gandhian activists, released a manifesto to address the “civilisational polycrisis of our times, which at its core is the climate change crisis borne out of automation of work.”
Theatre thespian and activist Prasanna said the core of the manifesto was the demand for implementation of the “70-30 economy”, where there shall be at least 70% human labour involved in the production of all goods and services.
“We believe, annihilation of labour, also known as the programme of complete automation, is at the root of our present crisis. Annihilation of labour is evil, both materially and morally. On the one hand, it is making the great mass of human beings jobless. And on the other hand, it is breaking the sacred link between god and human beings. Bapu ke Log intends to save religion by linking it up, all over again, with the saintly traditions,” the manifesto said.
“In order to cover up for the evil, new good-heads are being installed. The old gods (Ram, Shiva, and Shakti) who represented labour-driven cultures and moral governance, are now being brazenly re-fashioned. Bapu ke Log believes in gram swaraj. We have decided to go back to the people and launch a non violent satyagraha. We want the faithful to re-establish faith, by establishing true Ram rajya,” the resolution adopted on Sunday read, making a tangential reference to the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya.
Speaking at the event, historian and Mahatma Gandhi biographer Ramachandra Guha said: “We need a revitalization of civil societies, working towards mitigating the impact of the present civilisational crisis. Civil societies need to act as a check to both the State and the market”.
