Citizens for Justice and Peace
CJP moves NCM against ‘Dharam Sansad’, calls for strict action Pleads monitoring of police investigation and separate inquiry
28-Dec-2021
The videos of Uttarakhand’s ‘Dharam Sansad” or “Religious Parliament” came as a rude shock to the majority of people. The event that was held in Haridwar between December 17-19 saw so-called religious leaders, espousing a hard, right-wing, exclusionist ideology and activists of the same ilk, along with hardline fundamentalist speakers and delivering incendiary speeches that…
CJP writes to Minorities Commission over attacks on churches Churches in UP, MP, Uttarakhand were vandalised by Hindutva outfit members
07-Oct-2021
Citizens for Justice and Peace, has written to the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) to take cognisance of the various instances of attacks on churches, allegedly by right-wing outfits in various states over the past one week. Multiple attacks have taken place in Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh. In the city of Roorkee,…
HC order empowers Van Gujjars during Covid-19 The community was finally allowed to enter the meadows of Uttarkashi
03-Aug-2021
The course the Covid-19 pandemic will now take, remains as unpredictable as ever. One the one hand, there is talk of a slowdown of the spread of the disease, one the other, there are also reports of an imminent arrival of the third wave if protocol is not adhered to. However, one cannot ignore the…
A dairy diary from Uttarakhand For the first time, Van Gujjars, traditional dairy farmers, feel they need govt assistance
10-Jul-2021
The Van Gujjar community has been dairy farmers for millennia. Rearing cattle, and trading in milk and milk products, is the way of life they have inherited from their ancestors. They move with the seasons, their animals graze off the lands along the migration routes, and produce milk that is then consumed and traded. However,…
A ray of hope is all we need How Uttarakhand’s Van Gujjars are rebuilding relationships with villagers
04-Jun-2021
Uttarakhand is home to the Van Gujjars, the nomadic community to which I belong. We traditionally breed cows, buffalos of a special breed called Gojri, and even horses, and earn a livelihood by selling milk and milk products. A defining factor of this community is that we migrate according to the season. In the summer…
How can you ever ‘resettle’ an ancient way of life? Resettlement not always constructive rehabilitation, forest dwellers face the loss of identity
27-Mar-2021
CJP Fellow Mohammed Meer Hamza travels to the resettlement area of Gendikhata, in Uttarakhand, and meets a rehabilitated Van Gujjar, and learns that resettlement does not always mean constructive rehabilitation for forest dwellers, who now face the loss of identity. The rehabilitation of Uttarakhand’s Van Gujjar families from Rajaji National Park to Gendikhata, is not…
Our life is linked to the forests we call home: Van Gujjars Receding forest cover and forced 'rehabilitation' is imperiling their existence
20-Feb-2021
They are often hailed as eco warriors, as they take care of the forests, they live next to. For the Van Gujjar community taking the health of the forest is a top priority. But now, their very existence, as a community is in peril, as the forest cover is shrinking across the land, and the…
#LoveAzaad Celebrate Love, Not Hate Episode 2 of CJP's podcast series Rightscast
18-Feb-2021
In the wake of “Love Jihad Laws” being enacted by states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, #LoveAzaad campaign was rolled out. CJP has challenged the constitutional validity of the laws in the Supreme Court whilst also standing with the people of a diverse India. Podcast · #LoveAzaad Celebrate Love, Not Hate
Forest Rights and Covid-19: Through the eyes of UP and Uttarakhand grassroot activists Part-1 of CJP’s webinar reveals how authorities are abusing their power to usurp rights of forest dwellers
02-Sep-2020
On August 7 and 8, 2020, Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) and All India Union of Forest Working People (AIUFWP) conducted a two-day webinar titled Forest Rights Movement and Covid-19. The objective of this unique initiative was to provide a platform to forest rights defenders to share how officials of the forest department, police force…
यूपी-उत्तराखंड में वनाधिकार आंदोलन का चेहरा बने नूरजहां-मुस्तफा मामला राजाजी राष्ट्रीय पार्क का है
12-Aug-2020
‘डर के आगे जीत हैं’। यह फकत कोई जुमला नहीं, हकीकत हैं जिसे एक बार फिर सच कर दिखाया हैं राजाजी पार्क में डेरे में रह रहे एक वन गुर्जर परिवार ने। अपने संघर्ष के बल पर यह परिवार अरसे से यहां रह रहा हैं लेकिन 16-17 जून को जो हुआ, उसने नूरजहां व मुस्तफा…