Monday, March 4, 2013

Eastern Jatha continues its journey in Jharkand

Eastern Jatha has travelled through Ramgarh, Hazaribag and Koderma In Jharkhand today.
In Ramgarh, a town in colliery belt, coal workers and daily wage workers attended a public meeting in the morning. They reported about spiraling price rise. In Central Coal Fields mines, the number of workers is decreasing while the load of work is increasing. “1 worker, 4 Work”, said a worker. Their houses have become dangerous to live. Coal dumps have been constructed in workers colony, and poisonous smoke is creating havoc with people, specially children.

In Hazaribagh, large number of women were present, mainly from nearby villages. They listening with apt attention to Subhashini Ali’s speech as she was telling the chronicle of women’s distress in the country. These villagers alleged that BPL cards are not available to them.
 

In Jhumri Tilaya, Koderma, there was a huge meeting. Mainly daily wage earners and peasants attended the meeting. Thousands of young and aged have become migrant workers in other parts of the country as no job, not even in very low wages are available here. Some reported that daily wage has come down to as low as less than Rs.50. But the poor urban workers have united under Red flag. Some of them have started working with CPI(M) under very difficult conditions and even in underground.

Southern Sangarsh Sandesh Jatha In Andhra Pradesh


The Southern Jatha of Sangharsh Sandesh was welcomed into Andhra Pradesh by CPI (M)'s central committee member M.A.Gaffoor, member of the state committee and secretary of Anantapur district O. Konda Reddy and other leaders of the party.

Today morning, the Jatha proceeded from Guntakal, where it had a late night meeting on the 3rd March. The first stop for the jatha was in Maddikera village where a reception was organised by various mass and class organisations of the party. The jatha leaders were handed over memoranda by the gram sewaks, washerman's association and Anganwadi workers. They expressed their firm belief that it will be the CPI (M) alone that can work genuinely for the solution of their problems.


From Maddikera the jatha proceeded to Adoni, which is locally called as the second Mumbai. On its way, the Jatha was received by the people of Kosur, Pathikonda and Aspari. Pathikonda was once a stronghold for the communist movement and the party had a member of legislative assembly too from this area. The people of this area still cherish the good work done by the party. As a reflection of this affection, the party office is built on the land that was donated by the potters. The entire region is drought prone and drinking water is a huge problem. At times, the villagers complained that there would be no drinking water supplied for days together. Though the lower canal of river Tungabhadra, a tributary of Krishna passes through this region, water remains a scarcity.


Adoni is famous for its spinning mills, which are closed now. Just as Mumbai, the second Mumbai too is bereft of the famous mills. The difference is, while Mumbai prospered as a financial capital of the country, the second Mumbai (Adoni) is now famous for starvation deaths, migration and all round deprivation.


From Adoni, the Jatha proceeded to Emmignoor, another famous centre for weaving. The Emmignoor Weavers' Society is of national repute and the products of its members are valued. But now due to the policies of the government, the Society is closed as most of its members are ruined. Unemployment is a major issue here, with the weavers who could not continue in their profession and lost their jobs, are unable to find even alternate employment.
 

The Jatha proceeded to Kurnool, the district headquarters and home to many chief ministers and ministers in both the state and union cabinets. Kurnool is famous for its paper mill, owned by a minister in the current Congress government. It is a town with vibrant trade union movement.
 

The entire region also has substantial population of the minorities who are facing lots of hardships as many of them are dependent on small occupations. The continuous drought and the resultant agrarian crisis has impacted their lives adversely. The people of the region submitted memoranda about their problems like the lack of ration cards, house sites, water for irrigation and drinking. They wanted the CPI (M) to take up their issues in right earnest and organise struggles. They pledged all their support for such struggles.

The meetings were addressed by Jatha leader and Polit Bureau member of the CPI (M) S. Ramachandran Pillai, M.A.Baby and Central Committee members, V. Srinivasa Rao, Sudha Sundararaman and M.A.Gaffoor.

Northern Sangarsh Sandesh Jatha led by Com. Brinda Karat Inaugurated





Sangharsh Sandesh Northern Jatha Flagged Off from Historic Jallianwala Bagh. The third of the CPI(M)'s Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha – the Northern Jatha – began its journey from historic city Amritsar today. Earlier, Brinda Karat, Polit Bureau member of the CPI(M) paid tributes to the martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh before embarking on the Jatha.

The Jatha team was received at Jallianwala Bagh with warmth from hundreds of people assembled there from across the state. Led by Vijay Mishra, the coordinator for the Jatha in Punjab and member of the State secretariat of the CPI (M) Punjab, Brinda Karat laid a wreath at the Jallianwala Bagh memorial.
 
Davinder Singh Josh, son of Sohan Singh Josh, one of the founders of communist movement in Punjab, handed over the Jatha flag to Brinda Karat.
Addressing the media afterwards, Ms Karat said that the people of India are in search of a better alternative, which is completely different from the Congress and BJP who are representing corporate interests rather those of people. She said that the message of these Jathas is to invite the public to consider the alternatives that are being presented by CPI(M).
 
Replying to a question on “with whom the CPI(M) will fight the next elections”, she said that the party will be representing the people’s interests and will fight the elections for safeguarding their interests. She dismissed Modi’s claim that BJP is the only alternative to Congress. She termed both the Congress and BJP as two different sides of the same coin and when they are power in Delhi, they will toe the neo-liberal policies in the interest of foreign and national monopoly capitalist.
 
She expressed anguish about the condition of people living in border districts. She said that their sources of livelihood and opportunities are continuously under threat from the border disputes. She reminded the gathering about the history of Amritsar which was a centre for cross border trade till the border disputes set in and ousted lakhs of people. Brinda Karat called up on the public to participate in the party’s Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha in big numbers and make success the March 19th public meeting that is going to be held in Delhi marking the culmination of the four nationwide Jathas.
 
Members of the Central Committee of the party, Hannan Mollah, Inderjeet Singh, Charan Singh Vridhi and Rajender Sharma, participated in this flag handing over ceremony. Memoona Mollah, Vijay Mishra and other leaders too were present

CPI(M) launched Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha from Himachal

 The State unit of Communist Party of India- Marxist on Sunday launched the Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha from the hill State to educate people on the impact and brunt of neo-liberal policies in last two decades.

The Himachal Jatha would join the main North India Jatha at Amritsar and would march to Delhi on Tuesday. The State Jatha that begun from the capital town of Shimla led by the party secretary Rakesh Singha and secretariat members Kuldeep Tanwar and Tikender Panwar culminated in a rally at the industrial township of Darlaghat in Solan district. 

Addressing the gathering of industrial workers and farmers the left leaders exposed the anti-poor neo-liberal policies pursued by the ruling parties and their effects on the working classes from past more than two decades. They raised the issues of increasing gulf between the rich and poor, super enrichment of big business houses, increasing malnutrition amongst children, burgeoning ranks of unemployed and shocking figures of 2.9 lakh farmers committing suicides during this time in the country.  They also attacked the government on adopting policies which fuel price rise and inflation and policies that are helping the MNCs, Corporates, real estate speculators and powerful groups to loot the resources of the country. The Congress and BJP are both advocates of neo-liberal policies and pandering to imperialist interests headed by the United States of America, they maintained.


While exposing the crony alliance of big business-politician-bureaucratic nexus even in small States like Himachal, the CPI-M said the big cement and hydro power industry here is given massive chunks of land and small and marginal peasants have been deprived of even the “nau-tor” land being given earlier to the landless farmers. The big companies like the Jaypees and Ambujas and other real estate developers have encroached acres of government and forest lands at various places but the court cases are being made against the small farmers who have encroached just a few bighas for developing fields and orchards for their livings in the small hill State.

Amritsar all set to flag off Northern Jatha of Sangarsh Sandesh


The Northern Jatha of the Sangharsh Sandesh is all set to be flaged off from Amritsar. This is part of the four jathas that are planned by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) that cover the entire length and breadth of the country. The Northern jatha will be led by Brinda Karat, Polit Bureau member.

Briefing about the preparations, Coordinator of the Jatha in Punjab and CPIM Punjab state secretariat member Vijay Mishra informed that the Jatha will begin after paying tributes to the martyrs of Jallianwalabagh. People from different walks of life will take part in this inaugural ceremony of the Jatha. After paying tributes to the martyrs, there will be a padyatra through the Walled City of Amritsar up to Gandhi Gate. From there a motor cycle rally up to the Company Bagh will be held, where the inaugural public meeting will be organised.

Apart from Brinda Karat, Hannan Mollah, Central Secretariat member, Members of the Central Committee Rajinder Sharma, Charan Singh Vridhi, Inderjit Singh, will also take part in the public meeting. Mr. SK Mukherjee, Secretary, National Trust, Jallianwala Bagh assured that the trust will extend its support to the Jatha. Vijay Mishra also appealed  the working class, peasantry and other like minded people to participate in big numbers in the public meeting at Company Bagh.

Vijay Mishra said that this jatha will highlight the party's stand on various issues that are confronting the country in general and poor in particular. The Jatha passes through Jallandhar, Ludhiana, Chandigarh and Patiala in Punjab before moving to Haryana and Rajasthan. The Reception committee is trying its best to ensure that the Jatha begins with an impressive meeting.

Eastern Jatha Enters Jharkhand



 
Eastern Jatha entered Jharkhand on Sunday. It was received by tribals with traditional dances. Just after crossing Subranarekha river, addressing a roadside meeting in Muri, Prakash Karat told that the peoples’ struggle in various states would be strengthened by the jatha.

One particular feature of the meeting was that villagers who are fighting a desperate battle against forcible land grabbing of Hindalco attended the meeting in large numbers. Over 12,000 acres of land was earmarked for the project without any proper rehabilitation. The villagers under the leadership of AIKS and CPI(M) resisted police atrocities and the government machinery and won partial victory. Those who came in the meeting told INN that it was but for the red flag that they could save their land and continue tilling.
 

On the way to Ranchi, crimson red Palash flowers have ignited the spring and the hilly terrain of the plateau is bursting red. Red flags in spots have added to the beauty. In Jona, known for waterfalls, local people gathered to report their distress to CPI(M) leaders. Adivasis of Dumargarhi in Angaraha block reported that though they have tilled and resided in the forests for 40 years, they have not been given the legal forest rights. These poor peasants submitted a memorandum to Prakash Karat detailing their problems. Karat assured them that CPI(M) would continue to fight for their rights.  A large motorcycle rally brought the Jatha to Ranchi.









Warm Welcome in Ranchi
The Argora Maidan of Ranchi wore a festive look for the rally addressed by the CPI(M) leaders participating the Sandesh Sangharsh Jatha. Red flags were flying all around the Maidan and a large and impressive procession of thousands of men and women, many of them tribals, wound its way through the Ranchi streets and congregated in the Maidan. Young tribal boys and girls danced to their traditional drum beats and the mood among the people was enthusiastic. When the Jatha vehicle entered the Maidan, it was given a warm welcome by slogan-shouting from the crowd.

The rally was addressed by Comrades Gyan Mazumdar, Joginder Sharma, Subhashini Ali, Biman Basu and Prakash Karat. The issues being highlighted by the Jatha were explained to the people. Demands close to their hearts like the demand for forest rights for tribals, for distribution of land to the landless, ending of forced eviction of poor people, mainly tribals, from areas rich in minerals which are being handed out to rich exploiters by the Government and for the provision of 35 kilos of foodgrains at 2/- a kilo to all elicited repeated applause. The audience responded enthusiastically when the speakers referred to the recent victory of the CPI(M) in the Assembly elections of Tripura which was the result of the pro-people policies successfully implemented by the Left Front Govt., especially to Com. Prakash’s mention of the fact that the Tripura Left Front Govt. had distributed more than 1 lac pattas of forest land to adivasi settlers.


Eastern Jatha Flagged Off

Eastern Jatha flagged off amidst great enthusiasm The Eastern Jatha of Sangharsh Sandesh was flagged off with great enthusiasm from Kolkata on Friday morning with hundreds of people gathering on Rani Rasmoni road. Red flags covered the entire area. Biman Basu, who himself is part of the Jatha team, presided over the public meeting.

Prakash Karat addressing the gathering explained the purpose of the Jatha and said that the need for a sustained struggle has been vindicated once again by the Union budget, where the interests of the rich were served. He said a sustained struggle for alternative policies would be launched throughout the country and this Jatha is a message for that struggle. He said, even after sixty five years of independence, a large section of the people are deprived of basic rights. CPI(M) has taken initiative for the four Jathas to highlight peoples’ issues. Karat congratulated the people of Tripura for the historic verdict in favour of Left Front which has given a new impetus for the democratic forces in the country.
 

The Jatha was flagged of by Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Polit bureau member of the Party. Apart from Karat and Biman Basu, central committee members Jogendra Sharma and Gyanshankar Majumdar are the other members of the Jatha. Participants of sub-jathas from Guwahati and Odisha joined in the public meeting. The Jatha proceeded through the districts of Howrah, Hooghly and Burdwan. The entire journey was a reflection of peoples’ love and affection towards the CPI(M)'s and an expression of their solidarity with its struggles.

Hundreds of people gathered on both sides of the roads that the Jatha travelled and showered the leaders with flowers and shouted slogans on the issues that are raised by Jatha. Youths on motorbikes came along the jatha all through. Hundreds gathered on Durgapur Expresway, including women with children and received the leaders with drum beats and dance.