Handloom cooperative to start a new campaign in Karnataka

BENGALURU: Heggodu-based Charaka Society that supports nearly a thousand Handloom weavers, dyers, and tailors will start a movement across the state of Karnataka entitled Save Gramodyog. The cooperative claims that this will be a two-fold campaign involving both the village and the city, both the rich and the poor from Thursday.

Village-based struggle is being led by poor people. As they are demanding the restoration of village industries, (as also city-based small & medium industry). They have been picketing Panchayat offices in a nonviolent manner and are posing questions to the elected representatives on the pathetic state of village economy.

Also, city-based campaigns will be running parallelly which will be led by the enlightened urban consumers. They shall ask people to buy Handmade products in preference to the machine-made product. Exhibition cum Sale shall be held in various cities, across the state. Well known Designers in Textiles, Garments, Handicrafts and Agricultural Produce, well known Economists and Social workers shall lead the consumer campaign. People's certification Movement called Participatory Guarantee Systems, Organic Council (PGS) and Karnataka Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi shall be co-partnering the campaign.

While the village-based struggles are already going on in several parts of Karnataka, the first ever exhibition cum sale shall begin at Gandhi Bhavan, Kumara Park on Thursday.

According to Abhilash.C.A, Convener, Gram Seva Sangh, "the first-ever exhibition cum sale shall begin at Gandhi Bhava and It shall remain open till the evening of 4 October 2020. Seminars, Cultural Programmes, Discussions and a BuyerSeller meet will also be held at the same venue during the four days. The Second exhibition cum sale shall start at Karasthala, Hoysala Circle, Kengeri Satellite Town, from the evening of 2 October, Friday. and shall remain open permanently there." The reports say that other exhibitions are also being planned across the state of Karnataka. The Slogan given to the consumer campaign is: Come in as a Consumer and go out as an Activist.

The 25-year-old Charaka Society, which supports hundreds of handloom weavers in Heggodu village of Karnataka's Shivamogga district, was declared insolvent on August 28, bringing its activities to a halt. Charaka cited the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic for the development. In the past few months, Charaka said that 800 weavers and artisans in six districts in Karnataka are dependent on them and they have been able to help 250 workers in finding work in Shivamogga district.