Common people are social changers: Aruna Roy

One law or one person cannot bring change, it comes through long and continuous struggle. The common people, who are considered the most unimportant, are the ones who can take democracy forward. Therefore, they need to join the movement for change, said social activist Aruna Roy.

She was speaking at a talk organised by Rashtriya Ekatmata Samiti at SM Joshi Hall on Tuesday.

She said that leadership cannot be centred to one person. The Right to Information (RTI) movement was successful because the common people were the leaders in the movement. Citing an example, she said that once an illiterate woman named Sushila was with her to address a press conference in Delhi during the RTI movement. On being asked by the scribes about the understanding of RTI, she said that just as she asks her son about expense details if she gives him Rs10, she wanted RTI to ask the government about expenditure.

“Though illiterate, she was an activist. These are the people who can bring change. All these deserve Magsaysay award and not me alone,” Roy said.

She said that everyone needs to ask themselves and the government about the legitimacy of leadership, accountability of leadership, what type of a political system are we expecting and how do we engage ourselves in the political system.
She also questioned the media’s role in the movement.

“Why is it that some activists get publicity when they stage dharna and others do not? There are many in the country who are running one or the other movement for positive change, but most of these are unnoticed by the media,” she said.

About Lokpal bill, she said that it was just one tool to put accountability in place, and Lokpal on its own cannot be a complete solution.

Social activist Baba Adhav was present.