‘The Chingari Award is particularly relevant at this juncture, when the government has made its intentions of submitting to corporate-led globalisation extremely clear. The coming years will see some of the world’s most powerful corporations pitted against some of the most marginalised people – adivasis, dalits and peasants – with the police playing hit men for the investors,’ said Jhodia.
Mukta Jhodia, a tribal woman from Orissa, has recently been awarded a Chingari Award, given to for women fighting corporate crime. I have to say I agree with her, and am impressed at her dedication to speaking out against the intrusion of corporations on people’s lands and livelihoods.
This award was created by two women who were injured after the Bhopal gas tragedy of 1984.
Champa Devi and Rashida Bee – who fought relentlessly for justice in one of the longest running battles against corporate crime – have set up the award from the $1,25,000 Goldman Environment Prize they received in 2004.’This is an award out of an award, and it would be presented every year to a woman taking on corporate giants,’ said Rashida Bee two days after the 23rd anniversary of the Union Carbide gas disaster.
