1. PEOPLE'S UNION FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES
RAJASTHAN
Jaipur,
10th
July, 2014
To Whom It May Concern
The State branch of the People's Union for Civil Liberties, Rajasthan acknowledges the contribution
of Akriti Verma, a 4th
year student of the Jayoti Veedyapeeth Women's University, who interned with
the organization from 11th June, 2014 to 10th July, 2014. This period of internship consisted of
students carrying out several surveys, studies and participating in workshops and protests.
A field survey on the lack of implementation of Street Vendors Act, 2014 was carried out by the
students in the city of Jaipur. Following which the data was processed and a collective report called
the socio economic conditions of street vendors was written by the students, under the guidance of
Dr. Ashok Khandelwal. The students along with other citizens of Jaipur protested the attack and
repression of a Gandhian Institution, whose land was grabbed by the Government of Rajasthan,
despite ongoing cases in various courts. Apart from taking out rallies and holding public meetings,
they also filed a RTI application. The 1100 pages worth information received under the RTI was
extremely valuable for the court case. The students also critiqued the intelligence report written up
against NGOs and looked at it as another tool of state repression. They undertook a fact finding of
the custodial rape case of a transgender in Ajmer city. They addressed the media in Jaipur and
Ajmer. They also visited the DG police and the Chairperson of the State womens' commission.
Similarly, they decided to also probe into the Dausa rape case which was equally serious.
All the students participated in the workshop organised by the Centre for Equity Studies, Delhi on
ending bonded labour in Rajasthan and the role of activists. This workshop had the eminent
economist Jan Breman giving his expert comments. They also organized and participated in the
event held on PUCL foundation day, the 26th
June, the day when emergency was imposed in 1975.
The students undertook a study of six schools run by the Jaipur Municipal Corporation. Called the
Pink city Schools, which were founded initially by the Harijan Sewak Sangh, these schools for Dalit
children were in an utter state of neglect with the agenda of educating the Dalits and bringing them
to a level playing field was definitely undermined. A report was written up and presented to the
JMC, with the objective of handing these schools to Sarwa Siksha Abhiyan.
As part of their stay at the PUCL they also understood the functioning of the District and Session
courts and the Rajasthan High Court, including visiting the labour courts, the consumer court, the
revenue court as well as saw the Alternate Dispute Resolution centre in operation. They also
researched the cases of women at the One Stop Crisis centre against violence against women and
visited Shakti Stambh the oldest short stay home in the State. Through workshops organised by
experts, the students tried to understand the analytical concepts of gender, caste, religion, bonded
labour and tribe for understanding the reality of our society.
The contribution of Akriti will be remembered. We wish her success.
Prem Krishan Sharma Kavita Srivastava
(President) (General Secretary)
Address for Correspondence: 76, Shanti Niketan Colony, Kisan Marg, Jaipur -302015

2. Phone No: 0141/ 2594131, 09351562965; pucl.rajasthan@gmail.com