People's Democracy

BIHAR

Campaign for Food Security Evokes Good Response

Arun Kumar Mishra

LAUNCHED by four Left parties, namely the CPI(M), CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc, the three-phase movement in Bihar for universal food security marked the beginning of a sustained struggle against the neo-liberal policies that aim at snatching away even the daily breed from the hands of 80 per cent of the population. The latter are, according to the government’s own admission, forced to live on just 20 rupees a day.

One may recalled that the Bihar state committee of the CPI(M) too had met on June 20-21, 2012, and decided to forge a fight against the faulty BPL list prepared by the state government and launch a campaign for universalisation of the public distribution system (PDS).

In the meantime, the CPI(M) Central Committee declared that the party units would run a campaign during the whole month of July in order to press for universalisation of the PDS, distribution of 35 kg of grains priced at 2 rupees per kg for every ration card holder and withdrawal of the so called food security bill which in fact threatens to deprive the vast sections of Indian people of even their most basic needs.

Later the four Left parties met in Delhi and called upon their units to make this campaign broadbased and movement successful.

Accordingly, the Bihar state units of the four Left parties met in Patna, the state capital, and decided to go to the masses unitedly. Among other things, they decided to organise padayatras from July 17 to 24, demonstrations before the block offices on July 25, demonstrations and dharnas at the district headquarters on July 30, and a massive march and court arrest at Patna on August 3.

According to the reports reaching the CPI(M) headquarters at Patna, the party independently organised hundreds of village and local level meetings from July 1 to 15. Later on the party also took the initiative in different districts and persuaded the CPI to join the padayatra in July.

Accordingly, about 120 batches of the leaders and cadres undertook padayatras in different districts, and even heavy rains could not disrupt their movement. These padayatra received good response from the masses wherever they were organised.

On July 25, demonstrations and dharnas were organised at 212 blocks in 29 districts. Block level mobilisations were comparatively larger in size and attracted the large number of common people beyond the said parties and mass organisations. Dharnas and demonstrations were also organised at 23 district headquarters on July 23. On August 3, the last leg of the movement culminated in a large turnout of peasants, agricultural workers, women and other sections of society at Patna. They marched hand in hand under the scorching sun and humid weather conditions, directing their collective ire against the central and state governments and taking solemn pledging under the red flag that they would go on fighting till they are guaranteed food security.

From the early morning, the marchers started coming in batches with red banners and flags, and by 11 a m the area near Gandhi Maidan had turned completely red.

At the stroke of 12.30 p m, the state leaders of the four Left parties led the marchers. They started from the Gandhi Maidan and passed through Frazer Road, to reach the Dak Bangla Chowk. CPI(M) state secretariat members Ramdeo Verma, Lalan Chowdhary, Awadesh Kumar, Rampari, Ajay Kumar and Arun Kumar Mishra joined the march along with state level leaders of the CPI, Forward Bloc and RSP.

Eventually, the entire Dak Bangla Chowk was taken over by the marchers raising full-throated slogans in favour of their demands. For three hours, the entire traffic system in the area came to a guiding halt.

Later on, CPI(M) state secretary V K Thakur, CPI state secretary Rajendra Singh and Forward Bloc leader S P Tiwary, among others, addressed the marchers. Gurudas Dasgupta came specially to Patna to take part in the march. He addressed the gathering, conveyed to the marchers the joint messages of the four Left parties and exhorted the Left leaders and cadres in Bihar to unitedly fight and mobilise the masses for more intense fights in the coming days.

Sarvodaya Sharma, CPI(M) state secretariat member, presided over the meeting.