New Delhi, October 13: Notable Indian economist Jean Dreze was detained during a protest in Delhi concerning the resignation of Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. A video surfaced showing Dreze holding a slogan board, with neither police nor media able to identify him as they questioned his origin.
Born in Belgium, Dreze has been residing in India since 1979 and became a citizen in 2002. He is widely recognized for his contributions to social welfare initiatives, including the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
Since the 1990s, Dreze has actively participated in discussions on various government programs and has conducted extensive research on issues such as hunger, malnutrition, and food security. His work has significantly influenced policies aimed at providing food to impoverished families.
Dreze has been a strong advocate for the rights of rural workers, arguing that employment should be a legal entitlement rather than merely government assistance. Under MGNREGA, eligible rural families are guaranteed 100 days of unskilled wage employment per financial year, empowering them to demand work, especially women and marginalized groups.
He has also raised concerns about the VB-G RAM G Bill passed in 2025, fearing that increased government control could undermine the existing employment guarantee system.
Dreze has received the Global Inequality Research Award for his research on poverty, hunger, and education in India. He has co-authored several influential books with Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, addressing critical issues such as famine and public action.
During his doctoral studies, Dreze lived with homeless individuals in London and later initiated a movement that led to the publication of his book, “Number 1 Clapham Road: The Diary of a Squat.” His work continues to focus on poverty, gender inequality, and public policy discussions.
Dreze was among four individuals detained near Kerala House at Jantar Mantar, including filmmaker Aban Raja and scholar Anjali S. He reported that they were taken by police without warning while engaging with the media. He noted that many others were also detained for unrelated reasons.