Maha’s Changemakers and Mumbai’s Moolniwasis unite
In an event organised by Maharashtra Changemakers, a collective of activists in the state. Mumbai’s Indigenous Inhabitants, the Adivasis, East Indians and Kolis united on Sunday December 9 at Goregaon East, to discuss their problems and synergise for solutions that they can unitedly push for in the wake of the multiple issues plaguing them.
The communities vowed to unite as one to be recognised and treated as genuine stakeholders in the growth of the city, while protecting their unique cultures.
The event consisted of presentations by members of each community in front of an expert panel of experts and members of each community like noted and awarded architect Sanjay Porewal, senior journalist Neeta Kolhatkar, chairman of National Association of Fishermen Dr GK Bhanji, senior tribal rights activist Vitthal Lad, Adv Godfrey Pimenta Head of Bombay East Indian Association and Gleason Baretto President Mobai Gaothan Panchayat, former UN undersecretary general and AAP Maharashtra co-convenor Kishore Mandhian and Brigadier Sudhir Sawant Convenor AAP Maharashtra and an activist who has engaged with these communities for years.
Maharashtra Changemakers found that each community felt that their culture, traditional way of life and their homes are being threatened by what was felt was an exclusionary model of development. Especially discussed was how Adivasis in Aarey are being mischaracterised as encroachers in both Aarey and Sanjay Gandhi National Park and were being asked to accept SRA. Parallels were drawn by the East Indian Community to show their Gaothans or traditional villages are being mislabelled by slums.
The Koli community pointed out that they were feeling both physically and economically strangled, on one side by the depletion of shore fish due to pollution and by rampant highrises on land.
However on a positive note victories by the Adivasi community is pushing for recognition and were recognised by other communities. It could be noted that much could be learned from how the Koli community has popularised its cuisine across the city while victories by the East Indian community in organisation and recognition in getting certain heritage precincts were commended. The communities also wanted to explore classification under various UNESCO classifications for tangible and intangible elements of their culture,
While East Indians felt their culture and land was under threat, Adivasi activists like Kunal Babbar highlighted how low education lack of basic civic amenities in Adivasi padas within Mumbai has kept this community in a pitiable condition. The Koli community spoke about the threat to their villages from the coastal road and environmental degradation and how the community is turning from a prosperous net employer to one looking out to employment.