Åsa Ljusenius

Destruction in the Name of Development: a Study on Grassroots Advocacy in Rural India Åsa Ljusenius

India is globally regarded as the largest democracy in the world, and as a country where the living standards and economy is growing rapidly. While this is true, there is another side of the coin. In East Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh, far from the flourishing cities, people of low caste are constantly being mistreated and robbed of the rights that belong to them. For ten days, three different areas were researched in East Godavari, India, revealing how the politics of the region continuously puts economic growth before the well being of people. The shocking truth, and the advocacy measures that the local people have adapted to tackle the unfair conditions, give an insight to what India looks like at the grassroots level. The title of this work, ?Destruction in the Name of Development? was coined by the local human rights organisation Sujana, with regards to the destruction of life and livelihood for people, concealed by the mantra that it is in the name of the development of India.