People's Democracy

Left Parties Call For Jharkhand Bandh

IN Jharkhand, six Left parties, namely the CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML), Marxist Coordination Committee, Forward Bloc and RSP,  issued a joint statement on May 4, calling upon the people of the state to stage a Jharkhand bandh and peaceful agitation on May 21. The bandh and agitation would be on the following issues.

(1) Against the closure of industries, retrenchment of workers and reduction of job opportunities for the unemployed youth in Jharkhand.

(2) Against the privatisation and disinvestment of public sector undertakings.

(3) Against unrestricted imports of foreign goods, agricultural products and raw materials, including coal, steel, copper, fertilisers, etc.

(4) Against the displacement of people of certain sections, and for the rehabilitation of and jobs for the already displaced persons; for a permanent policy about rehabilitation.

(5) For recruitment to vacant government and public sector posts.

(6) For a massive food for work programme in villages.

(7) For relief to drought and hailstorm affected peasants.

(8) For strengthening the public distribution system under the all-party supervision.

(9) For withdrawal of all cases connected with political and social movements, and for arrest of and punishment to the police personnel involved in the firing on innocent people at Tapkara, Doranda, Bokaro, Choubay, Barhi, Markocho and other places.

(10) For holding immediate panchayat elections on party symbols basis.

(11) For an end to corruption in high places and to mafia raj.

(12) Against saffronisation and privatisation of education and against raising the fees in educational institutions, against the non-availability of textbooks.

(13) Against communalism and the fascist threat.

(14) For effective enforcement of labour laws and minimum wages for the unorgnised and agricultural labour.

(15) For an end to the serious crisis and scarcity of electricity and drinking water.

It was in pursuance of the above demands that the said Left parties, various trade unions and mass organisations had organised a state level convention at Ranchi on October 27, 2002, and a joint jeep jatha from Ghatshilla to Sindri from February 10 to 16 this year.

The bandh is in support of the all-India general strike of workers and employees, scheduled to take place on May 21, on 8 demands raised by the central trade unions and industrial federations. At the same time, some of the above demands are state-specific and have been added by the Left parties for the state level action.  

The Left parties have called upon the people of the state to come out into the streets hold actions all over the state on May 21, in large numbers, to express their support to the bandh and strike call.