Press Release, 4 March 2025

NAPM’s 30th Anniversary Convention Concludes in Hyderabad with a Resolve to Strengthen Struggles Against Fascism, Corporate Loot, and Injustice

Hyderabad, March 4, 2025: NAPM marked three decades of struggle, solidarity, and transformative resistance at its 30th Anniversary National Convention held in Hyderabad from March 1–4, 2025, with the theme “Defending Democracy: Constitutional Justice to Climate Justice.” Over 1000 participants from 24 states—representing people’s movements, social movements, activists, academics, artists, fisherfolk, hawkers, LGBTQIA+ people, students, and political representatives—gathered to discuss the threats to democracy, the Constitution, and people’s rights, and to forge collective strategies for the future.

From the Narmada Valley to Niyamgiri, from Ladakh to Lavasa, from the fisherfolk of Kerala to the workers of Jharkhand, from anti-caste struggles to feminist and queer rights movements, the convention was a powerful assertion of the resilience and determination of people’s movements. The four-day gathering saw deep discussions on land rights, climate justice, urban displacement, state repression, Hindutva politics, gender and caste oppression, corporate plunder, and the weaponisation of law against dissent.

The convention culminated in the adoption of the Hyderabad Declaration, a resounding call for continued resistance against rising authoritarianism, corporate plunder, communalism, environmental destruction, and state repression. The Declaration reflected the unwavering resolve of people’s movements to reclaim their rights, resist displacement, and build alternative models of just development.

Political Parties & People’s Movements: A Critical Dialogue

On the final day, representatives from various political parties engaged in a crucial dialogue with people’s movements, deliberating on defending democracy, protecting the Constitution, and ensuring pro-people policies. Medha Patkar chaired the discussion with Meenakshi Natarajan (Congress), Clifton D’Rozario (CPIML), Javed Ali Khan (Samajwadi Party), Annie Raja (CPI), Ashok Dhawale (CPIM), Prof Kodandram (Telangana Jana Samithi) and grassroots activists from Telangana, Bihar, and Kerala participated in the discussions.

Speakers congratulated NAPM for their continued struggle over thirty years and stressed the need for sustained engagement between political parties and movements, not just during elections but beyond. Meenakshi Natarajancondemned the Telangana police’s attempt to prevent Medha Patkar’s visit to the Musi River redevelopment site, stating that it reflects the shrinking space for dissent. Clifton D’Rozario called out the fusion of fascism, capitalism, and casteist-feudal forces, urging movements to challenge these interlinked oppressions. Javed Ali Khan admitted that political parties often fall short of people’s expectations but urged activists to continue pressuring them. Annie Raja reminded everyone that while alliances like INDIA raised hopes, they must be held accountable to people’s struggles.

Key Resolutions Passed at the Convention

The convention included several panel discussions, parallel thematic sessions, movement strategy meetings, and cultural performances. During the four days, intense deliberations led to the passing of over 30 resolutions covering a wide range of people’s issues, some of the key highlights included:

• Defending Democracy & Constitution: Participants demanded safeguarding the constitutional values, its basic doctrine, and the repeal of draconian laws like UAPA, AFSPA, PSA, and called for an end to the criminalization of activists, journalists, and movements and release of all political prisoners.
• Citizenship, Victimisation of Muslims, and UCC: NAPM strongly opposed the weaponization of citizenship laws through the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC), and National Population Register (NPR), which disproportionately target Muslims and marginalized communities. The convention condemned the bulldozer politics, lynchings, and systematic disenfranchisement of Muslims and reaffirmed its commitment to secularism and pluralism. It also rejected the imposition of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) without democratic consultation, recognizing that it is being used as a tool to erode the cultural and legal diversity of India’s communities rather than advancing true gender justice.
• Agrarian & Labour Justice: The Convention demanded guaranteed MSP for farmers, legal recognition of tenant farmers, and stronger social security for workers and condemned the four labour codes which has replaced the existing labour laws. It also called for justice for ASHA, Anganwadi, sanitation, and informal workers, as well as a nationwide Urban Employment Guarantee Act.
• Land & Forest Rights: NAPM reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Adivasi land, opposing forced displacement for mining and industries, and ensuring proper implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA). It also reiterated the demand of the National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Commission to ensure justice for all those displaced since 1947 due to development projects.
• Urban Poor & Housing Rights: Resolutions were passed against bulldozer demolitions, eviction of slum dwellers, and corporate-driven ‘smart cities’ that displace the working poor and demanding basic services and security for all.
• Rights of Small and Traditional Fish Workers: Reaffirming its solidarity with small and traditional fish workers, condemened the corporate takeover of coasts, displacement, and destruction of marine ecosystems through projects like Sagarmala, deep-sea mining, and industrial overfishing. Convention called for the strengthening of cooperatives, implementation of the National Policy on Inland Fisheries, and a nationwide movement to protect coastal and inland water bodies from ecological destruction and corporate encroachment.
• Gender & Social Justice: The convention reaffirmed the struggle against patriarchy, caste-based oppression, and religious hate while demanding equal wages, rights, and representation for women, LGBTQIA+ persons, Dalits, and minorities.
• Palestine Solidarity & Anti-War Stand: NAPM condemned the genocide in Gaza, called for an end to India’s arms trade with Israel, and endorsed the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
• Environmental & Climate Justice: The climate crisis was recognised as a humanitarian and ecological catastrophe fuelled by corporate greed. The assembly demanded the stopping of destructive projects like river interlinking, waste-to-energy plants, and reckless mining, along with protection of the Aravallis, Western Ghats, and Himalayan ecosystems.
• Electoral & Institutional Reforms: NAPM called for urgent reforms in the Election Commission, judiciary, and oversight bodies, ensuring fair elections and an end to corporate-political nexus. It also demanded stopping amendments to RTI Act and strengthening of the Information Commissions at State and Central Level.

Strengthening People’s Movements for a Just and Democratic Future

The Convention was preceded by the State level Conventions held in several states, where its members came together to discuss their struggles, challenges, mobilise solidarity, and elect their state representatives to be part of the National Working Group (NWG). At the national convention, along with these state representatives, additional names were proposed and adopted by the convention for the NWG, ensuring a diverse and representative leadership to steer NAPM’s future course. The newly constituted NWG will now develop a process to ensure participation of the representatives of the various forums and manchs which it has created in the last years like NAJAR, NACEJ, ALIFA, ALIYSA, Nadi Ghati Manch, Kisani Manch, Health Rights Forum and Others.

The convention concluded with a resounding call to action for people’s movements across the country to defend democracy, reclaim constitutional rights, and resist corporate and state-led oppression through non-violent struggle, grassroots organising, and collective mobilisation. It urged all citizens, workers, farmers, Adivasis, Dalits, women, LGBTQIA+ communities, students, intellectuals, and political allies to join hands in this collective fight for justice and dignity.

The convention concluded with marching slogans and collective pledges to resist, reconstruct, and reclaim a future free from inequality, violence, and oppression.

Long live people’s resistance! Long live NAPM!

Jai Samvidhan! Jai Jan Andolan! Jai Jagat!