contd from page 24
Most of the social movements
believe in first creating an
organization and then starting to
spread the ideas. According to
Sharma, the ideas, not the
organization, should reach the
people first. In line with this
thought, the books written by Dr.
Sharma play a vital role. Very often
the villagers read the books and
then invite the Andolan to their
areas. The idea of ‘gaonganaraaj’
(village Republic) and ‘hamaragaon,
hamararaaj’ (Our Village, Our rule)
is very appealing to the masses
and captures their imagination. It
encourages the people to want
ownership of the resources and
not merely a share. The movement
coined
the
slogan
‘jal,
jungleaurjamin’ (Water, Forest and
Land). Once the village accepts
the Andolan, a ‘shilalekh’ (rock
inscription) is made at the
entrance of the village, which
proclaims
‘hamaragaon,
hamararaaj’.
Dr Sharma has been
pursuing the Panchayat Acts
since 1972. He suggested to the
Ashok Mehta Committee that the
gram sabha should be given the
real powers, but this was not
accepted. Later due to the pressure
built by the movement the Madhya
Pradesh Panchayat Act was
amended. After the amendment
the decisions of the Gram Sabha
have become binding on the Gram
Panchayat. Dr Sharma played a
very significant role in the
Panch ^X]