ML Update | No. 34 | 2016

ML Update

A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine

Vol.  19 | No. 34 | 16 – 22 August 2016

August 15, 2016: Modi's Deceptive Rhetoric versus the Inspiring Una Resolve

When the people of India fought for freedom from British colonial rule, there was one ideological-political stream which not only stayed away from that great struggle but tried its best to disrupt and derail it with its thoroughly communal and casteist agenda of Hindutva. Today that stream holds the reins of 'governance' in the country and is bent upon appropriating the mantle of freedom even as it uses the state machinery to the hilt to subvert the values and aspirations of the freedom movement. Halfway through his term, Modi asked the BJP to celebrate a 'festival of freedom' around the Independence Day this year as he delivered his third August 15 lecture from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

True to his demagogic track record, Modi made a few astoundingly misleading claims in his speech. He said while previous governments were all surrounded by complaints and allegations, his government only has to confront the expectations of the people. Well, to tell the truth, the expectations were based on the promises he had made in the 2014 election campaign, and with his government going back on those promises much of those expectations have today turned into frustration and anger. The much touted promises of 2014 were of course conspicuously missing once again in Modi's Independence Day address.

Modi claimed to have brought down the rate of inflation when the common people are reeling under soaring prices. When the whole world is heaving a sigh of relief over the declining petroleum prices, his government has inflicted steep increases in railway fares. And now in the name of ending 'tax terrorism' on the rich, his government has drawn up a blueprint of hefty regressive taxation on the goods and services consumed by the common people which will add fresh fuel to the fire of price-rise.

Modi talked about the alleged efficiency of governance he has ushered in and called upon the people to match this efficiency by ensuring 'social unity'. A strong economy and a strong society would make India a strong nation. But we have already seen that Modi's 'strong economy' does not care for either the welfare of the common people or the self-reliance and sovereignty of the nation – all it cares for is faster accumulation of corporate wealth and bigger inflow of FDI. Likewise, Modi's 'strong society' is all about maintaining the status quo within a patriarchal-casteist order and that too on lines drawn by an increasingly aggressive and intrusive Sangh brigade which would like to dictate the terms of inter-personal relationships, social interaction, cultural discourse and constitutional liberties in India.

Modi's deceptive phrase of 'strong society' became very clear when he invoked Ambedkar as a champion of 'social unity'. Everybody knows that the Constitution drafted under the leadership of Ambedkar proclaimed the formation of the Indian Republic on the foundations of liberty, equality and fraternity. Without liberty and equality, fraternity becomes an empty word and unity can only mean subjugation. When Modi eulogises the notion of 'strong economy' and 'strong society' – there is of course also the implicit third element of 'strong' or 'hard state' which Modi chooses not to mention in his Independence Day address – he does it by effectively undermining the modern democratic principles of liberty, equality and fraternity.

It is significant that Modi used his ID address to mention the so-called gratitude that some people from Balochistan, Gilgit and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir have apparently expressed to him while keeping absolutely silent about the continuing spate of civilian killings and injuries and the anguished cries of pain and anger of the Kashmiri people who are ruled by the Indian state. He talked about social unity rising above caste divisions but said not a word about the oppression being unleashed on Dalits and Muslims in the name of 'cow protection' by cow vigilantes sponsored by the RSS and governments run by his own party in different states.

But despite elaborate plans to appropriate the mantle of freedom, Modi's Independence Day address and the BJP's so-called 'festival of freedom' only underscored the growing isolation and failure of his government. For the people of India, the real resolve of freedom this year came from Una where Dalits, Muslims and progressive citizens from other sections marched to Una in their thousands, defying physical attacks and threats of more Unas to come, and resolved to intensify their battle for freedom. They resolved to reject the Brahminical code of labour which despises manual labour and reserves all menial jobs for Dalits and demanded five acres of arable land for every landless Dalit family. By linking the question of social dignity and equality for Dalits with the question of land rights, Una has signalled a new direction for the Dalit movement in the country. Following the Una rally, there are reports of renewed attacks on Dalits in Gujarat and progressive democratic forces across the country must unite to overcome this desperate assault by casteist forces.

Fifty years ago the revolutionary peasant uprising of Naxalbari had addressed the agrarian question as the central question of Indian democracy and in the process it had triggered a massive awakening of the landless poor. It inspired a new wave of communist movement in Bihar where the question of freedom from social oppression became the central agenda alongside the issue of land and wages. The Dalit movement too took a radical turn at this juncture with the emergence of the Dalit Panthers and radical Dalit literature in Maharashtra and elsewhere. Today Una has once again galvanized the radical stream of the Dalit movement, squarely placing the agenda of social equality and land reforms at the centre of the radical democratic agenda of Dalit emancipation.

The infamous laboratory of Hindutva fascism is now witnessing a great resistance that has galvanized the entire Dalit community in protests and is also drawing in Muslims and Adivasis to pose a formidable challenge to an increasingly isolated BJP regime. It is also encouraging to note that Una has struck a chord across the country among the oppressed and fighting people who have come out on the streets to express their fullest solidarity and resolve to grasp this new juncture in the battle for real freedom and democracy. The Una exhortation of unity of Dalits and Muslims, women and workers will defeat the RSS-dictated 'social subjugation' camouflaged as 'social unity'.

Anti-Imperialism Day Observed Across the Country on 9 August 2016

On the anniversary of the August revolution, CPI (ML), AICCTU, All India Kissan Mahasabha and other fronts observed anti-imperialism day throughout the country.  In Jharkhand, this day was also celebrated as the world 'Adivasi Day'. Marches were taken out across states in several districts. The purpose of the marches was to expose the anti-people, anti-national, divisive, destructive, pro-corporate, communal and fascist policies of the Modi led central government aimed at forcing India into the stranglehold of imperialism and selling India's natural resources and sovereignty into the hands of the multinational companies.

In Patna, AICCTU leaders and activists offered tributes at the Shaheed memorial outside the Bihar assembly and a protest meeting was organised in which slogans were raised against American imperialism and the pro-imperialist policies of the Modi government. Other trade union leaders and activists also joined the protest meeting and pledged to ensure the success of the 2nd September All India General Strike.

CPI(ML) and AICCTU organized 'Adhikar March' in Ranchi and Bokaro in Jharkhand on the Adivasi Diwas (International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples) which is observed on 9 August. As the politics of both Jharkhand as well as the country remains captured by the corporate houses, the questions of the workers and the masses are at the margins. The assaults on the rights of the Dalits, tribals, minorities and the workers continue unabated. Addressing the march at Albert Ekka Chowk in Ranchi, CPI (ML) central committee member Com. Shubhendu Sen stressed on the need for another August revolution against the Company Raj.  Com. Bhuvaneshwar said that celebration of 'Adivasi Diwas' by the government which had failed to put an end to the loot of water, forests, land, minerals and other natural resources was a farce. In Bokaro, an adhikaar march was jointly organized by trade unions. Besides submitting a charter of demands to the steel plant manager, a call was given to ensure the success of 2nd September All India General Strike.       In Koderma,  a dharna was organized under the leadership of All India Kisaan Mahasabha to protest against the designs of the state government to snatch the land from the poor in the name of wrong settlement. A march was also taken out under the leadership of All India Kisan Mahasabha in Ramgarh, in which several hundred people participated, raising the slogans "Corporate-Company Raj Down Down", "Waive the loan taken by farmers immediately",etc. The speakers addressing the march said that far from supporting and encouraging farmers, the government was determined to discourage them. Modi's favourite Gautam Adani was procuring several million quintal grains from the farmers at the rate of Rs.30/- per kilo and hoarding the same and the Modi government was selling the same grains at Rs. 100/- per kilo. Several farmers were being forced to commit suicide. In Garhwa district, after years of struggle, tribals of Tiwari Marhatiya village were able to procure their legal rights on the Raiyatti land. Since 3 August 2016, they had sat on an indefinite hunger strike outside the DC office. CPI (ML) activists from Garhwa district committee also joined the hunger strike in support of the tribals. They also demanded that immediate compensation be paid to those whose crops were destroyed and the officers guilty of ensuring the destruction of crops be punished. A mahadharna in support of these demands had earlier been organized on 6 August. After the successful completion of the strike, 'a vijay juloos' of the local tribals was also carried out under the leadership of CPI (ML). In Bagodar, a 'chetaavni' (warning) march was taken out by those who have been displaced due to the policies of the state government. They also protested against the inadequate compensation.

CPI (ML) activists also organized protests outside DM offices in several places in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and other states against the oppression and persecution of Dalits and minorities by the associates of RSS in the name of 'cow protection'. In Gorakhpur, several people and Dalit leaders and activists also joined these protests. The speakers warned the local administration that if the provisions of accommodation, ration and work in MNREGA were not ensured for the Dalits, poor and the workers, a gherao of the district office would be done. 

9th August also marked the end of the second phase of CPI (ML)'s countrywide campaign- 'Utho Mere Desh, Naye Bharat ke vaaste, Bhagat Singh-Ambedkar ke raaste' (Rise my nation- for a new India, in the path of Bhagat Singh and Ambedkar). A huge dharna was organized to in Kanpur as a part of this campaign. The speakers talked about the increasing attacks on Dalits and minorities and the anti-people policies of the government. In Lucknow, a dharna was called near the Ambedkar statue in Hazratganj. The meeting was presided by Com. Kaushal Kishore, state president of Jan Sanskriti Manch (JSM). Addressing the meeting he said today once again slavery was being enforced on us by the Modi government. This slavery, besides being economic, is also social and cultural. However, we are also witnessing an unprecedented resistance. The Dalit upsurge in Gujarat, the resistance from Kashmir to Hyderabad, the coming together of youth and students across states shows that struggle for a new India against the sanghi nationalism is gaining strength. The participants raised slogans against cow protection vigilante groups, demanding a ban on them. Marches were also taken out in Gazipur, Varanasi, Chandauli, Lakhimpur, Badohi, Sitapur, Mirzapur, Faizabad, Allahabad, Baliya, Mau, Muradabad and other places.

A pratirodh march was organized in Lalkuan in Nainital, Uttarakhand, against false cases filed against protestors in the struggle against making Bindukhatta a municipality. Several hundreds of people including a large number of women joined this march called by Uttarakhand unit of All India Kisan Mahasabha. CPI (ML) state secretary Com. Rajendra Pratholi urged people to rout out the anti-farmer Rawat government.

Safai Karmchari Sankalp Karvaan in Solidarity with Una upsurge

In solidarity with the massive Una upsurge and standing shoulder to shoulder with fighting sanitation workers in Delhi and in support of 2nd September All India Strike, the Safai Shramik Vikas Morcha (SSVM), affiliated to AICCTU and CPI (ML) Delhi State Committee organised a "Safai Karmchari Sankalp Karvaan", from 10th August to 15th August, 2016. As a part of the campaign, meetings and events were organised with workers in Wazirpur, Kalyanpuri, Jahangirpuri, Narela, Dakshinpuri (Ambedkar Nagar) and Kusumpur Pahari (Vasant Kunj). The main slogan of the campaign was 'Eradicate Dehumanising Occupations and Caste Oppression.

On 15th August, as Azaadi Kooch reached Una, the Safai Karamchaari Sankalp Karvaan also convened its final pledge taking observance at Kusumpur Pahari in South-West Delhi to vouch against dehumanizing occupations and caste based atrocities. Over the course of the last few days, similar gatherings have been mobilized in East Delhi, Narela and Ambedkar Nagar where several sanitation workers joined the campaign to fight against dehumanizing occupations and caste based atrocities.

In its concluding gathering at Kusumpur, many residents, most of whom are employed as contractual sanitation workers, came together to take the pledge - pledge to never enter another septic tank or sewer, to stop cleaning animal carcass. Comrade Anju, Vice President of AICCTU, JNU Unit in her address raised many important questions such as why only a particular people are forced to do work that should be done by machine and not by hand. Why, those who claim dire love for the cow shy away from tending to dead carcasses? She recalled the JNU contractual workers movement and how their union fought tooth and nail against the JNU administration to reject being forced to clean up dead carcasses. DUTA President Nandita Narain, also addressed the meeting extending her full support. The meeting ended with the strong resolve to make the upcoming all India general strike, scheduled for 2nd September, a thumping success.

An Inspiring Victory for the Protracted Struggle of Dalits in an UP Village

Comrade Manju has been elected village Pradhan of Ramgarh under Dadri subdivision of district Gautam Budh Nagar in UP. Comrade Shyamveer has been elected for the post of BDC member. This victory brought tears of joy in the eyes of dozens of families who had fought a very difficult struggle for their dignity, equality and for land in this village. The smile they saw on Tinku's face doubled the joy of rest of dalit villagers.

It is the same Ramgarh where a young B.Ed. student Tinku Ram was forcibly put on railway tracks four years back on 15 July, 2012. He lost both his legs under the wheels of the running train. The reason was that some dalit youth of this village dared to assert for the possession over the lands allocated to dalits but were under the unauthorised possession of the dominant Gujjar landlords who are backed by the Samajwadi Party. Ever since Brahm Jatav, husband of Manju, submitted an application in January of 2012 to the SDM of Dadri demanding distribution of village land allocated to the dalit community, all the families are in a continuous state of battle for life and survival in the face of attacks by the goons led by former village Pradhan Kuldeep Bhati. Members of Dalits families (man and women both) were brutally attacked with swords and axes in broad day light in March 2012 when nearly 30 people were seriously injured. They have been facing, and valiantly resisting regular attacks and false criminal charges forged with the help of the administration by the attackers. Many families have lost their all money in the court cases and to the police, many of them have come under severe debt, the lands belonged to them remained occupied by the goons of the dominant castes. Their complaints never got attention from administration as well by the police and their cases are still pending in the court.

Tinku Ram lost his legs but he and his people continued their struggle. It is because of their struggle and indomitable spirit that won the hearts of many, leading to the victory of comrades Manju and Shyamveer on 31 May, 2016 in the Panchayat Elections. This is certainly a big and inspiring victory for the protracted struggle of dalits of Ramgarh. Tears of joy and happiness on their faces were an inspiration for those who witnessed this long journey. The gram panchayat results were declared between 1-3 AM in the morning amidst loud revolutionary slogans outside the counting center (Mihir Bhoj Inter College, Dadri). A victory rally was held in the village and their joyous slogans of ' Baba Saheb Ambedkar Zindabad, Bhagat Singh Zindabad, CPI(ML) Zindabad, Inquilab Zindabad' resonated throughout the morning.

Joint Trade Unions Demonstration in Puducherry

On 9th August 2016, commemorating the launch of the Quit India Movement, a joint demonstration led by by AICCTU, AITUC, CITU, INTUC, LPF, LLF (an affiliate of Vidulai Siruthaikal Katchi), MLF (an affiliate of MDMK) and PMPTS (an affiliate of PMK) was organised and held at Puducherry. The demonstration focused on highlighting the twelve points charter of Indian working class to the proposed second September all India general strike.  The demonstration was held in front of the famous Swadeshi Mill Cottons which has been there for more than hundred years now.  Com. Balasubramanian, state president of AICCTU recalled that the twenty-five years old liberalization policy followed by Indian ruling class had been crushing the hard won rights of working class. He appealed to hit back hard with a firm resolve.  State leaders of CITU, AITUC, INTUC, LPF, MLF, LLF and PMPTS also addressed the demonstrators.  A joint call was given to observe total hartal on 2nd September and to make the 2nd September All India General strike a success in the UT of Puducherry.    

Protest in Odisha against Construction of Barrages on Mahanadi River

A protest was organised by CPI (ML) on ''Save Mahanadi and Save Odisha''. The BJP led state government in Chhattisgarh has proposed to make barrages on the Mahanadi River in order to ensure storage of water for the use of corporate. Registering a strong protest against this decision, the protestors  raised three main demands: (i)   maintain status quo on the construction of barrage on Mahanadi by the Chhattisgarh Government (ii) publish white paper on Mahanadi River; and (iii) build pressure on the central government to formulate a River Board as per the River Boards Act 1956.

Around 300 activists joined the rally which was led by Com Yudhishthir  Mahapatra, CC member of CPI (ML), Com. Mahendra Parida, state committee member, Com Radhakant Sethy, Com Ashok Pradhan and Com. Mandakini Sethi of AIPWA. The speakers while addressing the protest meeting besides criticising the decision of the Chhattisgarh government, also criticised the addressed the Naveen Patnaik government for its on callousness on the Mahanadi issue.

Demonstration In Darbhanga Against Police Brutalities

On 30 July, a demonstration was organised under the banner of CPI (ML) to protest against the police atrocities in Usmamath, in Pator Village in the Bahadurpur block of Darbhanga district. The demonstration was led by block secretary Com. Abhishek Kumar and other leaders.  The protestors raised the slogans against the Pator station charge, condemning the police brutalities and interference in land issues.  Hundreds of protestors gathered at Usmamath Chowk and marched till the police station raising loud slogans. They entered the police station and met the Sadar inspector, CO Bahadaurpur and others and raised their concerns with them.

Rallies in Punjab by Joint Front on 'Save Farming and Water'

On 29 July, huge rallies and demonstrations were organized in 20 districts in Punjab and memorandums were submitted to the Punjab CM through district magistrates. The districts included Mansa, Bathinda, Sangrur, Faridkot, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Patiala, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, NavanShahar, Taran Taaran, Amritsar, Pathankot, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Ropar and others. The rallies saw massive participation from the farmers. All India Kisan Sabha, Jamuhri Kisan Sabha, Punjab Kisan Union, Pagdi Sambhal Jatta and several other struggling forces joined the rallies. The first demand of the farmers was that all the demands that have already been accepted by the government be immediately implemented. The agricultural leaders said that both the central and the state government were trying to discourage agriculture and as a result the farmers were being forced to incur huge debts and resort to suicides. First and foremost, the loans of farmers with only about 10 acres of land must be waived irrespective of whether the loans were taken from government or private organizations or individual money lenders. The families of the farmers who had committed suicide should be paid five lakh compensation, the loan be waived and a government job must ensured for a member of the family. They also demanded that the practice of obtaining signatures on blank stamped pronote papers or white papers must be immediately brought to an end. Pro-farmer policies must be formulated for incentivizing farming, making farming debt-free and ensuring food security in the country. The protestors also demanded that land ceiling limit be reduced from 17.5 acres to 10 acres and the additional land be redistributed among the landless farmers. The government must also guarantee procurement of crop yields and the procurement rate must be fixed at least 1.5 times the cost incurred. They also demanded to curb the corruption and monopoly by mill owners who are exploiting the farmers.

The farmers also raised the issue of depleting ground water for agriculture. They demanded that large scale government mechanisms for recharging water bodies must be put in place. Steps must also be taken for creating more canals and ensuring that they reach all agricultural lands. The infiltration of national and foreign corporate in procuring and selling seeds must be brought to an end. The other demands included- A monthly pension of Rs. 5000/- must be paid to elders above the age of 60, stable jobs and free education must be guaranteed for the youth, 24 hours electricity, free electricity connection for farmers having 5 acres of less land, compensation in case of natural calamities and provisions for safeguarding agriculture from stray and wild animals. Cases filed against farmers during movements must also be withdrawn.

Midday Meal Workers' Protest

On 2 August, a huge dharna was staged outside the Bihar Assembly under the banner of Bihar State School Rasoiya Sangh against the plan to hand over midday meal scheme to the NGOs. The dharna was led by state president of the Rasoiya Sangh, Com. Saroj Chaubey and the meeting was moderated by secretary of the Rasoiya Sangh, Com. Sohila Gupta. Addressing the dharna, National general secretary of AIPWA, Com. Meena Tiwari said that the condition of midday meal workers working in Bihar government schools was extremely pitiable. They used to receive only one thousand as monthly honorariums and it was after much struggle that the amount was increased by Rs. 250. The announcement of ex gratia grant of 4 lakh in the case of death of a midday meal worker was not being implemented anywhere. On the contrary two months honorarium is cut in the year and on several occasions, owing to various reasons, honorarium is not paid for several months. There is no provision of accident insurance, health insurance or pension for these workers. Additionally, the workers are often subjected to humiliation at work place. Com. Shashi Yadav said that even as the workers are forced to struggle to demand their basic rights, the government has planned to hand over midday meal schemes to NGOs in around 28 districts. Given that workers' rights are denied by the state, one can imagine their plight under private NGOs. The governments at the centre and state make tall claims about women empowerment but have not bothered once to talk to agitating women workers. The dharna was also addressed by CPI (ML) MLAs Com. Mehboob Alam and Com. Sudama Prasad. The protestors demanded that the government to revoke the move, else, the future of the workers would continue to remain in dark and the students too will not be assured of a healthy and fresh meal. They also warned that they will intensify the struggle.

Obituary

Red Salute to Com. Mitranand Singh

Com. Mitranand Singh, district secretary of CPI (ML)'s Nalanda district unit passed away in the morning of 14 August. He was in the ICU for past several days after suffering a brain haemorrhage. His body was brought to the CPI (ML) state office and party cadres paid tributes to him. Bihar state secretary Com. Kunal expressed deep condolence at his unfortunate demise and said that his passing away was a loss for the party that could not be filled. The party stands with his family in this hour of grief. In the 80's while working in the private sector in BiharSharif, Com. Mitranand came into the contact of senior CPI (ML) leader Pawan Sharma. He soon became a part member and in 1986 he started working as a whole timer of the party. He was assigned the responsibility of Bihar Sharif and he then became of the Nalanda district secretary of the AIPF. He was the CPI (ML) candidate from Nalanda in the Lok Sabha elections in 1991 and he received huge support from the poor and Dalits. Besides Bihar Sharif he also played a crucial role in the expansion of the party in Jagdishpur in Bhojpur. His presence will always be missed.

Red Salute to Com. Bhura Singh

Com. Bhura Singh, Mansa block President of All India Kisan Mahasabha, who had been sitting an indefinite dharna led by AIKM president Com. Ruldu Singh for the loan waiver of famers and peasants, passed away on 14 August, 134th day of the dharna owing to heart attack. The comrades sitting with him rushed him to the hospital but doctors declared him dead. AIKM comrades forced the government to realise the gravity of the situation and the government decided to give 5 lakhs to his family, assure job to a family member and promise withdrawal of his loans. Instead of cremation, his whole body was donated to Patiala Hospital.  Com. Bhura Singh, besides being the Mansa Block president of the All India Kisan Mahsabha, was also a member of tehsil Committee member of CPI (ML). Revolutionary tribute to Com. Bhura Singh, the great martyr of the ongoing "karja-mafi movement"!

Red Salute to Com. Manjulaben Patanwadia

Comrade Manjulaben Patanwadia passed away in the night of 16 August 2016 in Ahmedabad after multiple organ failure. She was 57. She had undergone surgery in her both knees recently which somehow resulted in further complications resulting in her sad demise. Revolutionary tribute to Comrade Manjulaben!

ML Update | No. 33 | 2016

ML Update

A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine

Vol.  19 | No. 33 | 9 – 15 August 2016

 

Why Does the Prime Minister Stop Short of Banning Cow-Vigilante Goons?  
 

A month after Dalit youth were stripped and flogged in Gujarat by 'cow-protection' vigilantes, the Prime Minister finally spoke. At a town-hall in Delhi he distinguished between genuine 'Cow Servants' and fake 'Cow Protectors', saiying that 70-80% of Cow Protectors are anti-social elements and such elements make him angry. He asked state governments to prepare "dossiers" on "cow protectors". At a meeting in Hyderabad, he proclaimed "If you must shoot someone, shoot me, don't shoot Dalits."

These words have been dragged from Modi by the remarkable and contagious upsurge of Dalit anger that is spreading from Gujarat all over the country. The Dalit protests in Gujarat told the Sangh cow protection outfits and BJP Government – 'If the cow is your mother, you take care of her carcasse'. A rattled BJP replaced the Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel but even that move failed to curb the protests. A massive rally of Amit Shah at Agra in UP that had planned to mobilize 40000 Dalits had to be cancelled. Elections in UP and Punjab are upcoming, and the BJP is desperate to control the damage to its Dalit-consolidation strategy caused by the Gujarat protests. 

The BJP had planned to repeat its 2014 election strategy of appealing to Dalits to vote as part of a Hindu votebank: essentially a political extension of the RSS' ghar wapsi (return home) campaign that asks converted Dalits to return to the Hindu fold. The attack of the cow-goons and the powerful form the Dalit protests adopted have exposed the fault line between the Dalits and Brahminical, communal Hindutva once again – just as the institutional murder of Rohith Vemula at the instigation of Modi's Ministers did some months ago.      

The BJP is especially worried at the growing unity and solidarities displayed between oppressed Muslim minorities and Dalits in Gujarat and elsewhere. Modi's speech is a crude attempt to tell the Dalits that while the 'cow-goons' will still have a free hand to attack Muslims, their attacks on Dalits will be belatedly condemned.

The question is – why did Modi not ask State Governments to act against cow-goons after Akhlaque was lynched to death at Dadri? Had he spoken and acted then, the lynch-mob killings of Muslims at Udhampur and Latehar and the flogging of Dalits at Una might have been averted. Why is Modi silent even now on his Ministers like Sanjeev Balyan and Mahesh Sharma and BJP MLA Sangeet Som who approved of the Dadri lynching, as well as BJP Chief Ministers of Haryana and Jharkhand who have condoned killings by the cow-goons? BJP MLA Raja Singh applauded the "punishment" meted out to Dalits at Una and called Dalits "filthy" for slaughtering cows and consuming beef – will Modi tell us if Raja Singh is a genuine Gau Sevak or a fake Gau Rakshak? The late VHP leader Ashok Singhal had in 2002 justified the lynching of Dalits by cow-goons in Jhajjar, saying 'the shastras hold the life of a cow to be priceless'. Will Modi tell us if Singhal was a genuine or a fake cow-protector?

In fact, Modi's remarks expose the fact that even after the atrocities at Dadri, Udhampur, Latehar and Una, he is unable to unequivocally condemn the politics of cow-vigilantism and ban such groups. He is unable to say that the very agenda of attacking human beings to 'protect' cows is wrong: he is only able to say that anti-social and criminal elements are posing as 'cow-protectors'. He asks for a dossier on a section of them while continuing to approve of the 'genuine' ones.

Modi himself forgets that his own speeches in the 2014 Parliamentary campaign in Bihar implied that his opponents were betraying Yadav cow-worshippers by allowing 'cow slaughter' and 'Pink Revolution' in order to appease Muslims. In those speeches, Modi made no mention of the dangers plastic poses to cows – because plastic, unlike 'cow-slaughter', has little communally divisive potential. 

Modi's 'Shoot Me' rhetoric is typically arrogant, self-centred and dishonest. Why could Modi not simply say, 'Don't kill human beings in the name of the cow?' Why, after Gujarat 2002 or after the Dadri and Latehar lynchings, could Modi not say 'Lynch me, hang me, but don't kill Muslims?' Why is Modi silent on the Cobrapost revelations that expose the BJP and RSS as the force behind the Ranveer Sena that massacred Dalits in Bihar? Why could Modi take no action on his Ministers who called Rohith Vemula anti-national and hounded him to his death?    

Modi's belated and dishonest words on Rohith Vemula did not stop the movement inspired by Vemula. His belated and dishonest words on cow-goondaism will not contain the wave of protests that are sweeping Gujarat and the rest of the country – protests that are throwing off the yoke of age-old Brahminism and offering a spirited resistance to the casteist and communal politics of the RSS and BJP.

Release of AIPF Fact Finding Report on Bastar in Delhi            

A convention was held on 2 August in Gandhi Peace Foundation, Delhi where the All India People's Forum (AIPF) fact finding report on Bastar, titled- 'Bastar: Where the constitution stands suspended' was released.  

The convention was moderated by activist Leena Dabiru, and cultural activists of Sangwari began the convention with a song. Com. Kavita Krishnan, one of the members of the team started by condemning a tweet by Kiran Bedi who had referred to certain tribal communities as criminal and added how the views held by an ex IG of prisons seemed to be shared by the entire State that was determined to criminalise and repress tribes. Human rights activist N.D. Pancholi from PUCL elaborated on how the use of police since colonial times had been to enforce the whim of the rulers. He also critically examined the role of courts in failing to defend the Constitution citing an incident where the courts responded to a PIL filed by an activist, not by examining the plea but by questioning the locus standi of appellant himself.

Noted Human Rights activist John Dayal said that Chhattisgarh had become a laboratory of the sangh and white paper was needed to examine who are at the target of this state sponsored violence. He elaborated on the RSS –police nexus adding that this collusion between the 'khaki half pants and khaki full pants' was only strengthening. Journalist and writer Anand Swaroop Verma highlighted the attack on journalists who were trying to report from Bastar and shared how several journalists had been confined in custody for years by terming them as Maoists or Maoist sympathisers. Activist Himanshu Kumar, who has spent nearly two decades in the region, shared heart wrenching details of violence that the Indian state was inflicting on its own people. He also called the audience to join in the Padyatra beginning from 9 August in Bastar. The convention ended with observing one minute silence as a mark of respect to Mahasweta Devi who had been the voice of oppressed, especially tribals, in several of her writings.

AICCTU Programmes Onward to 2^nd September All India Strike

AICCTU Convention in Uttarakhand

AICCTU organized a convention at Haldwani on 31 July 2016 to protest against the anti-worker policies of the Central and State governments in which all the unions affiliated to AICCTU participated. The convention also formulated strategies in connection with the coming All India General Strike on 2 September. The Convention was addressed by AICCTU National Vice President Com. Raja Bahuguna, AICCTU State General Secretary Com. KK Bora, Uttarakhand Anganwadi Workers' Union State President Com. Deepa Pandey and Uttarakhand ASHA Health Workers' Union State President Com. Kamla Kunjwal.

AIGKU meeting in JNU

All India Central Council of Trade Unions affiliated unit of JNU contract workers (AIGKU, JNU UNIT) held its meeting today on 4 August announcing their full support to the All India Strike of 2nd September, 2016. Comrade Urmila (President, AIGKU, JNU UNIT) and Comrade Agnitra Ghosh from AICCTU, Delhi addressed the meeting and called for taking the campaign for strike to all nearby colonies. Comrades from Sangwari performed the famous play 'Machine' which was appreciated by all present in the meeting and promised to keep up their support and participation throughout the campaign.

Workers Convention to be held in Noida ahead of 2^nd September Strike

Noida workers will also hold a Workers Convention on 14th of August in sector 10 in solidarity with the September strike. Film screening and street plays will be organized.

Convention in Puducherry

All Trade Unions Convention was held at Puducherry on 6^th August 2016 in AITUC Conference Hall.  AICCTU, AITUC, CITU, INTUC, LPF, Marumalarchi Labour Front (MLF) an affiliate of MDMK Party, Liberation labour Front (LLF) an affiliate of Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi and other local trade unions were part of the convention.  It was jointly led by the Presidents of these Central Trade Unions.

Com. Balasundaram, National Vice President (AIARLA) spoke on behalf of AICCTU.  He remembered the martyrdom of Agricultural workers- Com. Nagooran and Com Anjaan as they were killed by Tamil Nadu Police during the first strike against liberalization in eighties. Resolutions on the following were passed unanimously in the convention: (i) Call to the workers, rural poor, agricultural labour, farmers, students and youth of Puducherry to ensure a total bandh in Puducherry on the 2^nd September All India General Strikes; (ii) Decision to hold a big demonstration on 9^th August 2016 (Quit India Day) against Modi-raj; and (iii) decision to hold street meetings to highlight the twelve point charter of workers of 2^nd September general strike.

State Level Panchayat Representatives Conference in Patna

The CPI (ML) Bihar State unit organized a Panchayat Representatives Conference to welcome the newly elected panchayat representatives and discuss their work and the direction it should take. Party State and district committee members and activists also attended the conference. Party General Secretary Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya was the main speaker at the conference.

Addressing the convention, CPI (ML) Politburo member Com. Dhirendra Jha said that panchayats are supposed to be a tool for decentralization, but they have instead become agents for implementing the decisions of the State governments. They have no rights to make policy decisions, and even where they do make decisions, there is no participation or monitoring by the people. Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya said that the Party has started a new tradition in people's representatives—Com. Ram Naresh Ram, Com. Mahendra Singh, and Com. Shah Chand are representatives of this tradition. As people's representatives, they must raise their voice on all people's problems and issues. Bihar State Secretary Com. Kunal said that it is the responsibility of the Party not only to monitor the work of the Mukhiya and other panchayat representatives, but also to play a leading role in resisting the dominance of feudal and dominant forces bureaucrats and officials at the panchayat level.

Speaking at the conference, the victorious panchayat representatives from the party (Pappu Kumar, Jaiprakash Paswan, Susheela Devi, Sohila Gupta, Madan Singh and others) said that they would form "Monitoring Committees" to ensure people's participation in decision making and implementation. They would not limit themselves to conventional issues but would take up issues like gairmajrua land, sharecroppers' identity cards etc. They would also take up health and education issues in the village and work to end corruption and loot in all welfare schemes.

The conference was also addressed by MLA Com. Sudama Prasad, Kisan Mahasabha General Secretary Com. Rajaram Singh and AIPWA General Secretary Com. Meena Tiwari.

CPI (ML) State Cadre Convention in Lucknow

The CPI (ML) Uttar Pradesh unit held a State level cadre convention on 29 July in Lucknow attended by about 450 activists from 27 districts.

Addressing the convention, Party General Secretary Com. Dipankar said that people across the country are protesting against the joint fascist attacks of the Modi government and the RSS. An extraordinary uprising of struggle can be seen among students, youth, women, farmers, workers, and dalits. The CPI (ML) will strive to lead this uprising and take it in the correct direction. After Gujarat, the BJP-RSS have made Uttar Pradesh the new laboratory for their communal-fascist project. Enthused by their success in the Lok Sabha elections they want to fight the Assembly election with a communal-fascist agenda, but we shall make the UP Assembly election an election of resistance against this agenda.

Addressing the convention earlier, PB member and UP State Secretary Com. Ramji Rai called on the Party activists to make new members, reach each and every member, and work for the formation of booth-based branches. He said that the coming Assembly election in UP will be no ordinary election; it will mark the beginning of the preparations for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The convention, addressed by other Party leaders and activists, discussed the "Uthho Mere Desh" campaign, the Party's work with agrarian workers and farmers, and preparations for the 2017 UP Assembly elections.

CPI (ML) Dharna in Front of Bihar Vidhan Sabha

After an effective Bihar Bandh called by CPI (ML) on 12 July against the Toppers' Scam, the party continues to build the pressure for setting up of a judicial enquiry into the political patronage of the toppers' scam. On 1 August, CPI (ML) staged a one-day dharna in front of the Bihar Assembly. Besides judicial enquiry into toppers' scam, the dharna also raised the following demands:

i.              An end to the increasing violence against dalits and women in the country and in Bihar;

ii.             Revocation of the the cash-for-food grains scheme;

iii.            Revocation of handing over of the midday meal scheme to NGOs;

iv.            Starting the Kadvan reservoir project should be started;

v.             Closing down of all liquor factories in Bihar

The dharna was addressed by leaders from AIARLA, Kisan Mahasabha, AIPWA, State party committee and CPI (ML) legislators.   

CPI (ML) activists meets family of Kashmiri youth

charged with sedition for sharing Facebook post
 

Representatives from the CPI (ML), CPI, Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha, AICCTU, AITUC, All India Progressive Women's Association, and All India Youth Federation met the Superintendent of Police, Durg, Chhattisgarh with regard to the arrest on sedition charges of a Kashmiri youth Tauseef Ahmad for liking, sharing, and forwarding Facebook posts on Kashmir. Tauseef had studied in Rungta College of Engineering, Bhilai and then gone on to do his MBA in Srinagar, after which he returned to Bhilai and had been working in the marketing section of Vivo (an electronics and mobile company) for the last few months. Recently he had liked and shared some posts and cartoons critical of India's Kashmir policy on Facebook. On a complaint by Ratan Yadav, Bhilai coordinator of Bajrang Dal, the Chhattisgarh police registered a complaint against him on charges of sedition. On coming to know about the complaint Tauseef boarded a train to return to Kashmir but was apprehended and arrested at Sagar station, Madhya Pradesh. He was then remanded to 15 days judicial custody and is currently lodged in Durg Central Jail.

Com. Brijendra Tiwari of CPI (ML) and Com. Lakshmi Krishnan of AIPWA visited the father and cousin of Tauseef who have come down to Durg after the arrest of their son. His father, who was in a state of dazed bewilderment informed them that Tauseef had of late been in an emotional state and disturbed by the violence in Kashmir, due to which he had shared the post. He said that he had met his son in the jail and found him in a very depressed mood. The family of Tauseef is not well-off and their financial condition is not such that they can afford expensive legal aid. Like Tauseef, a large number of Kashmiri youngsters come to Chhattisgarh to study and work, and many of them told the activists that they had always felt safe in the State but this incident will deter Kashmiri youth from coming to Chhattisgarh. 

On 8 August a delegation with representatives from various Left organizations met the Additional. Superintendent of Police, Durg, Vivek Shukla and conveyed to him that liking or sharing a post or a cartoon on social media does not constitute any legal ground for sedition charges. Citing the Mumbai High Court's verdict in the Aseem Trivedi case, they pointed out that the court had dismissed the grounds for Aseem Trivedi's arrest on sedition charges for a cartoon he himself had made as "arbitrary and frivolous" and said that the grounds against Tauseef are even more arbitrary and frivolous, since he shared a cartoon made by someone else. Cartoons are not seditious since they do not incite violence, they merely express satire. They demanded the sedition charges on Tauseef should be revoked and he should be released from jail without delay. They also expressed serious concern for his safety from violence inside jail and demanded that his safety be ensured. The delegation submitted a memorandum to the SP, Durg through the Addl. Superintendent with the above demands. The delegation also went to meet the Superintendent of Durg Central Jail but was told that they could meet him only at 10 AM on 9 August. The delegation has planned to meet him on 9 August and will also attempt to meet Tauseef. The memorandums were signed by Brijendra Tiwari (CPI (ML)), Ramesh Kumar Das (CPI), AG Qureshi (CMM), VK Soni (AITUC), Ashok Miri (AICCTU), Shamim Qureshi (AIYF), and Lakshmi Krishnan (AIPWA).

Party Initiatives in Jharkhand

Koderma - The CPI (ML) Koderma district committee organized a people's protest march from Jhumritilaiyya on 5 July led by district Secretary Com. Mohan Datta and other committee members to protest on the following issues:

i.              Grabbing of land from rural poor by the Raghuvar government on pretext of wrong settlement in order to facilitate free loot of Jharkhand's water, forests and land by corporate houses;

Against amendments in Chhotanagpur Tenancy (CNT) and Santhal Paragana Tenancy (SPT) Acts and the anti-people domicile policy;

ii.             loot and irregularities related to food security.

The march culminated in a meeting at Jhanda Chowk. Addressing the meeting, CPI (ML) MLA Com. Rajkumar Yadav said that the BJP government is working in the direction of rapidly handing over Jharkhand's natural and human resources to corporate houses. The very rationale behind the formation and existence of Jharkhand is in jeopardy and we must make the struggle against this sharper and more pervasive. All sections—workers, farmers, adivasis, dalits, minorities and others—must be united in this struggle.  On 23 July a protest meeting was held in Kurah village, Kurah Panchayat, Ichak Block, to demand the arrest of the killers of Banwari Mehta.

Giridih - A minor adivasi girl student was gang-raped on 27 July in Bengabad (Giridih district). A protest march against the rape and demanding arrest of the perpetrators was taken out on 29 July in Bagodar after the AIPWA State committee meeting. The march was led by Comrades Meena Tiwari, Geeta Mandal, Sabita Singh, Poonam Mahto, Jayanti Choudhury and others. AISA took out a protest march against the gang rape on 31 July at Rajdhanwar. The march culminated in a meeting where speakers said that the police were in cahoots with the perpetrators of the rape. They strongly condemned the failure of the police to arrest the culprits even 72 hours after the incident and demanded their arrest without delay.

Palamu- Middle, small and poor farmers from many blocks were mobilized and came together under the leadership of CPI ML) Palamu district committee to protest on issues of land for housing, eviction from agricultural land, loot in construction of Dobhas (farm ponds/irrigation points), loot in ration distribution, irregularities in issue of ration cards, food security and other related issues. The issues raised also included renovation of canals and dams for a long term solution to drought and distribution of pending rations.

A protest march and meeting were held on 14 July at Panki block HQ. The protest demanded the proper construction of 3 canals—Vanarchua, Klonwa and Satura—for irrigation to provide a sustainable solution to drought. On the same day, protests were organized at Mohammadganj and Chainpur Block HQs with all the above demands and also the issue of people settled on gairmajrua land for 20-25 years who have got legal parchas for their land but have not yet been given dakhal-kabja of the land. This issue was added in the memorandum submitted. A protest and meeting was held on 5 July at the Lesliganj Block office (Palamu district). Protests and meetings on the above demands were also held in Sangma and Dhurki Blocks (Garhwa district). These protests generated a lot of enthusiasm in the district.

AISA's Campaign for 'Right to Accommodation' Delhi University

DU unit of AISA has started a campaign to assert students' right to accommodation in which students are being mobilized to pressurise the University administration and the government to ensure accommodation to the students who come to DU from various parts of the country. The campaign- 'A Room of My Own' is also a campaign against the exploitation of students by inflated rents, electricity bills and brokerage. Luggage march at DU North Campus!! Several programmes have been undertaken as a part of this campaign. On 6 August, hundreds of students joined the "Luggage March" as a part this campaign. The students marched from Vijay Nagar to nearby student areas carrying their Luggage, Beddings, utensils as a mark of protest against the skyrocketing rates of PGs and scarcity of hostels in DU. The campaign has received tremendous support from the students. More than 9000 students have already written their experience and expressed support to the demands in a postcard addressed to the DU Vice Chancellor. A right to accommodation march has also been called on 9 August.

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ML Update | No. 32 | 2016

ML Update

A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine

Vol.19 | No. 32 | 2-8 August 2016

 

Anandiben Resignation Is Not Enough: The BJP Government in Gujarat Must Go

     Countrywide condemnation of the recent incident of RSS-led state-sponsored cow-vigilantism against dalit youths in Una and the dalit upsurge that erupted in its wake as much within Gujarat as across the country has pushed the BJP on the back-foot and Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel has had to resign. With the crucial UP elections round the corner, the BJP's desperation is quite palpable. In a similar damage-control exercise, the party has already shunted Smriti Irani out of the education ministry, cries for whose resignation had been rending the air since the institutional murder of young dalit scholar Rohith Vemula in mid-January this year.

It is significant that even though dalits do not have much numerical strength in Gujarat except in Surendranagar district, it is the assertion of dalit power which has brought the powerful BJP government in Gujarat down to its knees. Since Advani's rathyatra, the Sangh brigade has treated Gujarat as the safest laboratory for its Hindutva fascist project. Within Gujarat, they have got away with the 2002 post-Godhra genocide and the subsequent string of fake encounters and all kinds of state-sponsored social atrocities even as the Modi government has been discredited and indicted on an international scale. Modi's May 2014 victory has been propagated as a validation of the 'Gujarat model' whether in terms of the Adani-Ambani paradigm of corporate plunder or the macabre display of Hindutva offensive. In a remarkable turnaround, we now have a powerful resistance challenging the Hindutva project right within its strongest citadel.

The Gujarat protests have found a powerful resonance across the country, most particularly in neighbouring Maharashtra, where dalits have been protesting the demolition of a building intimately associated with the life and legacy of Ambedkar. The BJP talks of building Ambedkar memorials and museums, while its government in Maharashtra unleashes the bulldozers of state-power to demolish an Ambedkar heritage building. Together the incidents of Mumbai and Una have ignited a powerful dalit resistance. On July 31, dalit organisations and other progressive forces of Gujarat organised a huge rally in Ahmedabad and came out with a charter of struggle that strikes at the root of the Brahminical order and an action call of a people's march from Ahmedbad that would reach Una on the eve of the forthcoming Independence Day.

Unlike the LJP-BSP model of dalit politics which has reduced the dalit agenda to one of power-sharing with champions of the Brahminical order, utterly neglecting, nay rejecting, the radical socio-economic vision of Ambedkar and his revolutionary call for annihilation of castes, the ongoing dalit resistance has the potential to reignite the radical vision of Ambedkar and resurrect the agenda of emancipation from the social regimentation of the Brahiminical order championed by the RSS and the BJP. In Gujarat, it has also made it clear that the Una incident does not just mark an administrative failure on the part of Anandiben Patel as CM, but it epitomises the crisis of legitimacy of the Gujarat government itself. The movement for justice for the Una victims of the Sangh brigade's politics of social persecution and terror politics has therefore demanded the resignation of the entire government and the holding of fresh elections as early as possible. Anandiben's symbolic resignation is not enough, the whole government must go.

Before Una, the Muslim community had been at the receiving end of the BJP's aggressive politics in the name of cow-protection. Before Bihar elections we had seen the brutal midnight lynching of Mohammad Ikhlaq in Dadri near Delhi, and after the BJP's politics of cow-vigilantism met with a roaring rebuff by the Bihar electorate, we saw Latehar happen in Jharkhand where two young Muslim men were killed and their bodies left hanging from a tree. Taking advantage of the SP government's ambivalence and inaction, the BJP has also continued to justify and invoke the Dadri lynching as an 'exemplary lesson'. Muslim organisations have therefore wholeheartedly welcomed the post-Una dalit resistance and contrary to the Sanghi conspiracy of co-opting dalits and using them as cogs in the Hindutva wheel and pitting them against Muslims, we now see welcome signs of a developing bond of unity and cooperation linking the two segments of the Indian society who are being simultaneously attacked by the Sangh brigade.

As we approach the historic month of August that saw India rise and ask the British colonialists to 'Quit India' in 1942 and witnessed the eventual departure of the colonial rulers five years later, Una holds a mirror to the real state of our freedom after nearly seven decades. The shared dreams of a truly free and democratic India with equal rights and opportunities for all that had inspired millions of Indians to give their all in the freedom movement are today being haunted by a renewed spectre  of bondage and regimentation. After a quarter century of uninterrupted pursuit of the neoliberal agenda of liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation we find every notion of sovereignty and self-reliance being subjected to a FDI-driven 'Make in India' regime where the resources and rights of the Indian people are being trampled underfoot by a predatory 'company raj' with the fullest backing of the Indian state. And with the installation of the Modi government at the Centre, an emboldened RSS now seeks to dictate the terms of our social existence with intrusive policing in every sphere of life, from dress and food to education and culture.

Against this backdrop, the spirit and strength of resistance displayed by Gujarat dalits in their historic July 31 Ahmedabad rally reflects the shared urge and resolve of all sections of the people of India who are fighting for democracy and dignity, for real freedom from all kinds of oppression and injustice. Let the resignation of Anandiben Patel mark the beginning of the end of the Modi regime and the entire RSS project of subjecting India to a retrograde and repressive Brahiminical order in the name of Hindutva.

CPI(ML) Reaffirm Pledge to Strengthen Revolutionary Democratic Movement Across the Country

On 28th July, CPI (ML) activists all over the country organized sankalp (pledge) sabhas, dharnas and other programmes on the 45th anniversary of the martyrdom of party's founder Com. Charu Mazumdar. Tributes were paid to Comrade Charu Mazumdar in party offices by comrades. They also renewed their pledge to strengthen revolutionary democratic movement in all spheres against communal-corporate fascism in the 50th year of the Naxalbari.

CPI (ML) activists organized a one-day dharna in Karnal against the atrocities on Dalits, poor and women, on the occasion.  

Pledge meetings were held in Puducherry and Karaikal. The CPI (ML) Ranchi city committee paid held a condolence meeting to pay tribute to writer Mahasweta Devi, the inspiration for the Jangal Mahal movement, who passed away on 28 July, and to Charu Mazumdar, the founder of the Naxalbari movement. The meeting began with 2 minutes' silence to honour their memory. A meeting was also organised at Bagodar in Giridih, Palamu, Garhwa and other places in Jharkhand.

Party activists also gathered Siliguri to reaffirm the party pledge and pay tributes to the heroic revolutionary legacy of Com. Charu Mazumdar.

In East Godavari, the occasion was observed at many places. There was a meeting at the East Godavari party office. At Prathipadu, RYA activists marched up to the statue of Alluri Seetharamaraju. At Tuni, agricultural workers and Dalits held a rally. A meeting was also held at Rothulapdi Mandal, the Kakinda district capital. RYA also held a march on 29 July at Balaji centre.  

In the Delhi party office, activists renewed their commitment to the ongoing struggles and the spirit of the Naxalbari movement. In JNU, JNU unit party activists along with AICCTU comrades from Delhi held a pledge meeting.

In Hazaribagh Central Jail too, political activists who have been imprisoned for their participation in people's movements paid tributes to Com. Charu Mazumdar at a meeting.

Demonstration Against Beheading of CPI(ML) Activist at Tirunelveli

Com. Mariappan, CPI(ML) activist and son of Com. Shankar, Branch secretary of 44th ward in Tirunelveli municipal corporation, was beheaded by communal, casteist lumpen forces on 20 July for defying their dictates. Com. Mariappan aged 24 years, belonged to the most backward washerman community.

An AIPFfact-finding team visited Tirunelveli on 26.07.2016. The team included AIPF Tamilnadu campaign committee member and Vice President of  state PUCL Prof. Murali, Dr. Laxmi Narayanan, state President of Karnataka PUCL and AIPF National Campaign Committee member, Mr. G. Ramesh, National council member of AIPF, Mr.Vidya Sagar , state campaign committee member of AIPF, Prof.Fathima Babu, state Joint Secretary of PUCL, P Kanmani, Treasurer of state PUCL, Mr Prasad, state secretary of AISA, Karnataka, and Com.Balasundaram, Central Committee member of CPI(ML). The team met the family of Mariappan and his comrades, and demanded that the State recognize the matter to be a caste atrocity and take appropriate measures for the safety and dignity of the oppressed castes. It emerged that the wife of Mariappan has also been threatened with the killing of her unborn baby. The team demanded protection for her.     

CPI(ML) called for a massive protest on 29 July 2016 and it was attended by people of that area including his pregnant wife. Com. Sundarrajan, City secretary of CPI(ML) presided the protest demonstration. The demonstration was addressed by state secretary Com. Kumarasamy, Central committee member Com. Shankar, AIPF National council member Com. Ramesh and several other district leaders from other left organizations.  CPI(ML) activists from all over Tamil Nadu also took part. After the demonstration, hundreds of people went to the collector's office and submitted a memorandum to the District Collector demanding Rs.25 lakh as compensation to the family, Government job to the wife of deceased Com. Mariappan, protection to the people from casteist lumpen elements backed by Hindu Munnani and a stringent punishment to the perpetrators of the heinous murder, and stern action against the casteist-communal outfits. Demonstrations were also held in several other places across Tamil Nadu to condemn the murder.

Massive Protest against Demolition of Ambedkar Bhavan in Mumbai

The assembling together of 35,000 people in pouring rain in front of Mumbai's CST on 19 July was no ordinary occurrence. They were there to protest against the illegal demolition of Ambedkar Bhavan in Dadar on the night of 24 June. Ambedkar Bhavan was not only the venue for many meetings and programmes of progressive organizations; it also housed a bookshop and an archive of books which included some rare handwritten manuscripts of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. The illegal demolition enraged the dalits who idolize Dr. Ambedkar and brought them out on the streets in protest. Protests were also held in Maharashtra on 25 July in support of the dalit agitation going on in Una.

The recent incidents in the country underline the need for all oppressed communities to come together and unite in the fight against oppression. All the organizations which participated in the march on 19 July realized that this is the need of the hour. The Republican Party of India led by Prakash Ambedkar, Lal Nishan Party, several student organizations, and the CPI (ML) also participated in this protest.

Protest against Gang Rape of a Minor in Nagpur

On 21 July a 12 year old minor girl was abducted and gang raped in Nagpur. On 23 July, AISA, AIPWA, CPI (ML), AIDWA and several other progressive women's organizations protested outside the Imamwada Police station. The protestors demanded that cases be immediately booked against the assaulters and the case be tried in fast track court so that the assaulters can be punished without delay.

CPI(ML) Team's Report on Dalit Oppression in Muzaffarpur

A CPI (ML) enquiry team visited the site of the incident on 21 July where feudal forces from the Bhumihar caste, protected by the BJP, urinated into the mouths of 2 dalit youths. The team reported that 2 dalit youths Rajiv Paswan and Munna Paswan (who are related to each other through marriage) went on a motorbike to witness a yagya in Babutola. When they returned from the yagya, they found their bike missing from the place where they had parked it. While they were searching for their bike, Suman Thakur and Sushil Thakur appeared and asked them what they were looking for. When the youths said they were looking for their bike, Suman Thakur and Sushil Thakur showed them the bike and demanded to see the papers for the vehicle. They then alleged that the bike was stolen and started beating the 2 dalit youths with rods and then locked them up in a room.

After that, the village head Mukesh alias Mukul Thakur came there and ordered that urination should be done into the mouths of the 2 dalit youths. When the father of the youths came to save them, his neck was tied with a cloth and he was also beaten. After that, the police personnel posted for the security of the yagya came there and advised the dalit youths to run away from there.

When the youths arrived at the thana, the thana in-charge, under pressure from local BJP MLA, Ashok Singh, refused to register the case; he even tore up the application submitted by the youths. A case was registered later only after strong protest demonstrations.

The enquiry team stated that the real cause behind the incident was that these people had not voted for candidates from the Bhumihar dominant caste in the Panchayat elections, and this bestial attack was a revenge for that. This is truly an insult to democracy.

The enquiry team has called for immediate suspension of the thana in-charge and arrest of all the accused. It has also demanded that the Bihar government should take stern measures to stop such bestial occurrences. The team comprised of CPI (ML) district committee members Shatrughan Sahni and Parshuram Pathak, Paroo Party in-charge Jaleshwar Patel, Khet Mazdoor Sangh district Secretary Sitaram Paswan, and Saraiyya Party in-charge Pankaj Kumar.

PM Modi's Effigy Burnt Across Bihar

The CPI (ML) Bihar State unit led protests across Bihar and burnt effigies of Prime Minister Modi in protest on 23 July 2016 against the several atrocities committed on dalits, including the incident in Paroo, Muzaffarpur district. Protest marches and effigy burnings were held in the capital Patna, Muzaffarpur, Ara, Sahar, Siwan, Raghunathpur, Mairwa, Darauli, Guthni, Andar Nautan, Hasanpura, Hussainganj, Daraunda, Siswan, Betiya, Biharsharif, Gaya, Kaimur, Daudnagar in Aurangabad, Saran, Jamui, Vaishali, Saharsa, Purnea, Bhagalpur, Samastipur, Madhubani, Jhanjharpur, Arariya, Beguserai, , Masaurhi, Naubatpur, Gopalganj, Western Champaran, Nalanda, Supaul, Gopalganj, Buxar, Rohtas, Eastern Champaran and Katihar. Protests in Jehanabad, Arwal, Darbhanga and Nawada were held on 20 July in support of the Gujarat bandh. People including activists from the CPI (ML), RYA, AISA, AIPWA and other people's organizations participated in large numbers in the protest marches, raised slogans against dalit atrocities and questioned the Prime Minister's silence and free rein provided to the "gau-rakshak goons". They also pointed out Jitan Ram and Ram Vilas' treachery in supporting the BJP.

The speakers also pointed out anti-dalit and anti-minority character of Lalu and Nitish. On the one hand they talk about social justice, but on the other the actions of the Paroo thana in-charge show that the administration sides with the dominant castes. What kind of social justice is this where FIRs by dalits are not registered and feudal-criminals roam free?

People's Protest against Police Raj in Jharkhand

Since July this year a series of police atrocities has taken place in quick succession in Jharkhand State: brutal beating and death of Rupesh Swansi, a minor, in the Bundu thana police lock-up; beating up and killing of another minor youth on charges of mobile theft in the Hazaribagh police lock-up; brutal beating and forcible driving away of three villagers from a  village because they were agitating against forcible land grab by NTPC in Badkagaon (Hazaribagh); beating of a journalist in Bokaro; the bestial beating and torture of a minor girl in Manika thana (Latehar district) after which a judge of the High Court called the police "an organized goonda gang" and others. The Jharkhand government has even refused to comply with a Ranchi High Court order in connection with the cruel and inhumane incident at Manika thana. All these incidents are confirmation of the indication that the State is heading towards Police Raj.

On 14 July a CPI(ML) team comprising Com. Janardan Prasad, MLA Com. Rajkumar Yadav, Com. Bhuneshwar Kewat and Com. Xavier Kujur visited Bundu, met the bereaved family, and held a mass meeting. As per the findings of the team, Rupesh Swansi of Adarsh Nagar, Bundu (Ranchi district) used to work as a newspaper boy and a cloth shop salesman to earn money for his and his sisters' studies. He was 16 years of age. The police had made a group of informers who, instigated by SDPO Pawan Kumar, used to implicate innocent people for the benefit of both police as well as informers. On 7 July two bodyguards of Pawan Kumar picked up Rupesh at 5 pm from the cloth shop, repeatedly beat him brutally at Pawan Kumar's residence and in two different thanas and charged him with possession of a kata (type of knife) and Rs 12,000. They took him to Bogda forest on the pretext of finding the weapon, where he fell unconscious and died. The police wanted to throw away his body in the forest, but the alertness of his family forced them to take him to RIMS where a post mortem was done which said that he died of several injuries to the body.

The family members along with thousands of people blocked the Ranchi-Tata Nagar road for 7 hours on 9 July demanding the arrest of Pawan Kumar, the 2 bodyguards and the 2 thana-incharges of Rahe and Dasham Falls. Under pressure from the people's outrage, an FIR under Section 302 was finally registered against the accused.

The CPI (ML) was at the forefront of the 9 July road block. The Party took out a protest march in Ranchi on 10 July demanding the arrest and trial of the 4 police personnel. MLA Rajkumar Yadav demanded a CBI enquiry headed by a retired HC judge with special representatives from the Vidhan Sabha. A people's protest meeting was also called on 21 July at Bundu against the making of Jharkhand into a Police Raj. The meeting was addressed by Rajkumar Yadav.

Kashmir Solidarity Protest at Siliguri

CPI(ML) activists burnt the effigy of Rajnath Singh at Hashmi Chowk, Siliguri on 25 July 2016 against the Indian State's killing of Kashmiri civilians. 

Com. Rameshwar Ravidas' Martyrdom Day Observed

The 12th martyrdom day of popular CPI (ML) leader Com. Rameshwar Ravidas was observed on 18 June 2016 at his native village Surunga in Dhanbad district. CCW member Com. Shubhendu and hundreds of comrades and villagers garlanded the life-size statue of the martyr and paid tributes to his memory while resolving to carry forward his work and vision. Earlier, a rally was taken out through several neighbouring villages which, raising spirited slogans against the BJP government, mafia, and feudal forces, reached the venue of the event in the Surunga school grounds.

Com. Rameshwar Ravidas was a dedicated member of the Dhanbad district committee who used to lead people's struggles from the days of the IPF. While working as an organized worker in BCCL he became a CPI(ML) activist. He was killed on 18 June 2004, by those forces who felt threatened by his activism. 

OBITUARY

Tributes to Mahasweta Devi, the unflinching voice of resistance

Mahasweta Devi, whose pen was committed to the cause of India's most oppressed, passed away at the age of 90. In her sixtyyear long career, Mahasweta Devi penned more than one hundred novels, twenty collections of short stories and authored innumerable articles.

She sketched the saga of anguish and rebellion, often offering precious insights into the lives of the most oppressed, in her iconic works like Aranyer Adhikar (Right to Forest) , Rudali , Chotti Munda and His Arrow, Bashai Tudu and  Breast Stories. Her lifetime commitment was to the adivasis of India – not as subjects of anthropological study, but as heroes and heroines of their lives and struggles. She told the stories of the Rudalis and Stanadayinis of the oppressed castes, who were forced to place their tears and breast-milk at the service of the exploiting castes.

Mahasweta Devi remains by far the most faithful and seminal chronicler of the Naxalbari rebellion. Her voice undertook to introduce '1084's Mother' to her Naxalite son, killed in police custody. Her writing sketched the character of Jagdeesh Master – the immortal co-founder of the CPI (ML) movement in Bhojpur. In her chronicling of the "Spring Thunder", unlike most others Bengali literary figures, Devi said it loud and clear – "Naxalbari is not about a few brave lives lost in a futile battle, but a political task which must be fulfilled."

Her powerful writing spoke of the Madkam Hidmes, the Thaangjam Manoramas, the Ishrat Jehans 'encountered' by the state machinery, the police, the armed forces. In her iconic short story Dopdi, the confrontation between 'Senanayak' – the Special Forces officer – and the adivasi Naxalite activist Dopdi Mejhen who is gang raped in an 'encounter' is like an open wound in literature. This confrontation reminds us of Manipur's women who stripped naked in front of the Assam Rifles headquarters crying 'Indian Army Rape Us'. Devi's culling of narratives from the horrific times of state repression of Naxalbari days seems even more prophetic today.

Mahasweta Devi will be remembered as a fearless activist. During the Singur-Nandigram agitation, she had stridently criticized the CPM government's acquisition of fertile agricultural land from farmers to set up industrial plants. Again, during the Mamata Banerjee regime, Devi vehemently protested police atrocities in the state. Just as Senanayak cannot stand face to face with the naked and defiant Dopdi, Modi or Mamata Banerjee and several other politician who hailed the 'great writer' on her death, cannot look her literature in the face – cannot face a literature that speaks such devastating truth to power.

Once in an interview, a journalist asked Mahasweta Devi how she keeps activism away from writing. Devi replied, "My writing is my activism".

Adieu, Mahasweta Devi! We will fight together to keep your dream alive!

Tributes to Writer-Journalist Neelabh Ashk

Neelabh Ashk, born on 16 August 1945 in Mumbai and brought up in Allahabad, passed away on 23 July 2016. His contribution to the revolutionary Left cultural stream as a poet, journalist, playwright, critic, publisher, organizer and fighting cultural activist will always be remembered. He played active leadership roles in the Jan Sanskriti Manch for a decade after its inception in 1885. It was Neelabhji who played the chief role in the collection, editing and publication of poet Gorakh Pandey's first anthology- "Loha Garam Ho Gaya Hai" by JASAM, after his death. In 1991 he took great pains to publish the first collections of poems by Left revolutionary poets Viren Dangwal and Balli Singh Cheema.

In 1988-89 he led the memorable movement for the autonomy of the North-Central Regional Cultural Centre in Allahabad. He had a strong relationship with the Progressive Students' Organization and workers' and human rights movements.

He translated Brecht's "Exception and Rule" under the title "Niyam ka Randa, Apvaad ka Phanda" and directed it himself for the "Dasta" team. His translations of Pablo Neruda's poems and Lermetyov's novel "Hero of our Times" are gems of translation literature. He also translated "King Lear" and Brecht's "Mother Courage". Seven or eight years ago he was nominated for the Sahitya Akademi award for translation but he refused the award as a protest against the suppressive policies of the government. He also translated Arundhati Roy's The God of Small Things into Hindi.