People's Democracy

THE huge state level protest rally organised by the CPI(M) and CPI at Jind, Haryana, on March 6, gave a clarion call for united actions by all sections of the state people against the disastrous policies being pursued by the BJP-led NDA government at the centre and by the Chautala government in Haryana. It is to be noted that while Chautala’s party, the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), is a partner in the NDA government at the centre, the BJP is supporting from outside the INLD government in the state.

The CPI(M)-CPI rally at Jind was different from the host of other rallies that people witness now and then. While the rallies organised by bourgeois-landlord parties betray their manipulative tactics designed to grab power by hook or by crook, the Jind rally organised by the two communist parties successfully underlined the urgent need to unify the mass protests, widen their sweep and link them to the national level movements.

Thousands of men and women from all parts of the state, carrying red flags, came to the venue of the rally to give vent to their feelings of disgust and anger over the central and state government policies that are ruining their lives.

Addressing the rally, CPI(M) general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet made a scathing attack on the economic, in particular agricultural, policy of the NDA government. These policies, he said, aim at benefiting the Indian big business houses and multinationals at the cost of the mass of Indian people. He detailed how the liberalised imports of agricultural commodities from abroad are going to hit Indian agriculture, and more so the poor and middle peasants. Another point Surjeet dwelt on was how the public distribution system is being dismantled and how the move to withdraw the Food Corporation of India from the procurement of foodgrains is certain to hit the peasants as well as consumers.

Surjeet also lambasted the Haryana chief minister O P Chautala and Punjab chief minister P S Badal on the occasion. Both the chief ministers have cordial relations between them and act in unison in matters of business and property-related transactions. Yet, they do not agree on finding a solution to the inter-state river water dispute so that the SYL Canal is completed and Haryana gets its due share of water. They know that their parochial politics would suffer a jolt if the contentious issues between the two states are amicably settled.

CPI general secretary A B Bardhan detailed the challenges before the wage earners and the working people’s movement. He came down heavily on the pernicious proposals of the 2001-02 union budget. He also criticised the Haryana chief minister for making power and water available free of cost before the elections but now raising the power tariff and imposing other burdens on the people.

State level leaders of the two parties as well as mass organisations also addressed the gathering, detailing the misrule the people of the state are suffering and how joblessness and the cost of living are rising in the state. Women’s leader Jagmati Sangwan explained the fast deteriorating situation of women in Haryana and the growing violence, victimisation and discrimination against them.

Others to address the rally included CPI(M) state secretary Inderjit Singh, CPI state secretary Raghubir Chaudhary, Prithvi Singh, Dariyao Singh Kashyap, Krishan Swaroop, Satpal Singh, S N Solanki, Surender Malik, Prakash Chander, Dr Harnam Singh, Satpal Baniwal, Pawan Sharma and Phool Singh Sheokand.

The rally observed two-minute silence to pay homage to the veteran communist leader, Comrade Indrajit Gupta, who passed away recently.

The Jind rally concluded with a determination to launch more of united and coordinated struggles in the state.