Jayant

Abstract

Jayant, 29 years, was a sociopolitical activist, writer and coordinator of a political organisation which represented the concerns of the social action groups and peoples’ movements in Delhi. Since the four decades postemergency, the organisation had been active against state oppression of democratic dissent. It believed in immediate and relevant responses to several ongoing issues, concerns and needs like the struggles of the marginalised communities against displacement, the struggle of fish workers, violation of human rights and the rights of dalits and tribal/indigenous people. Following the initial contact over email and telephone, I reached his office to meet him. After introduction, he led me to a room in which four people were sitting watching a video of a badly burnt man, close to his death, being rushed to the hospital. The voice accompanying the disturbing visuals explained that he was a tribal from Jharkhand and had self-immolated himself over the non-payment of funds under NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act). The office was simply furnished and had a lot of political magazines and journals on display and few bunk beds as logistic support for struggling people who come to Delhi from different parts of the country to voice their concerns to the state.