People's Democracy

 LEFT CONVENTION IN JHARKHAND

FIVE Left parties namely CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML), RSP and Marxist Co-ordination Committee jointly organised a Left convention at local Mahatma Gandhi Town Hall, Ranchi on  October 18.  More than 1000 Left functionaries attended this convention and heard the leaders in rapt attention.  Among the main speakers of the convention were Sitaram Yechuri, Polit Burea member of CPI(M), Atul Kumar Anjan, all India Secretary of CPI and Dipankar Bhattacharjee, all India General Secretary of CPI(ML).

In his speech Sitaram Yechuri emphasised on the need for building unity from  below by uniting poor peasants, agricultural workers, workers, youths, women, adivasis, dalits, minorities and other socially oppressed sections and building up united Left movement.  He said that Left unity is necessary for fighting communalism, defending country’s unity and self reliance and defeating the central and state government policies.  He stressed on carrying out the struggle at ideological level against the  attempts of the Sangh Parivar and on the historical need of defending the secular democratic republic of India. 

Addressing the convention Atul Kumar Anjan   explained the nature of attacks on different sections of the toiling people by the policies of the central government.  Dipankar Bhattacharjee emphasised on the need for Left unity to fight against the communal fascism.  He said that only Left is the torchbearer of secular unity and it is the Left unity alone which is in a position to advance secular, democratic unity in the country.

Earlier, a declaration was placed in the convention on  behalf of the five Left parties.  The declaration stated that in Jharkhand the Left current is strong amongst the workers and peasants and the objective condition is also favourable for rapid advancement of the Left forces.  The Left unity at the grass root level uniting the  economically and socially oppressed sections – the workers, peasants, agricultural workers, tribals, dalits and other toiling sections - and united struggle  can build up  an alternative agenda in the state.  The declaration stated that BJP and Sangh Parivar combining hands with opportunist political parties somehow captured power in the state without holding election after formation of Jharkhand.  During the three years rule of the NDA government in the state the people’s     aspirations were ignored.  Democratic movements were suppressed. The state was pushed backward economically, socially and politically.  Attacks have increased on workers, poor peasants, agricultural workers, unemployed youths, advasis, dalits, minorities  and on democratic movement.

The declaration stated that the Jharkhand identity is with the tribals.  But ever since the formation of Jharkhand state and coming to power of the NDA government, attacks have been growing on tribal rights and on their land. There is an attempt to change the character of Scheduled Areas for the tribals in the state.  Panchayat Act has been changed to take away the tribal rights.  The industrial policy statement of 2001 declared changes in Tenancy Acts to make land easily available to the foreign and Indian monopoly capital and for this a legislative assembly committee has been constituted with Babulal Marandi as chairman.

The declaration highlighted the serious situation in industrial sector due to closure and dismantling of public sector as Jharkhand has large number of PSUs and workers due to its rich mineral resources.  The declaration stated that in Jharkhand hunger has become a perpetual phenomenon due to central and state government’s policies.  There is no work in villages.  Public Distribution System has been ineffective and there is large scale migration of rural poor, including women and children. As the government is not in a position to resolve unemployment situation, attention of the people is being diverted on domicile issue to divide the toiling sections and unemployed youths. Large scale displacement, and absence of the rehabilitation is a serious problem in Jharkhand.  The governments' policies are creating a situation for further displacement of rural poor including tribals. 

The declaration pointed out that  by not holding elections for Panchayats, Corporations, Municipalities, Notified Areas, Students Unions, the state government has suppressed the democratic institutions and put the bureaucracy on the top.  The  mafia-contractor-bureaucracy-bourgeois politicians nexus is exploiting the people and looting the resources of the state.

The declaration stated that the VHP leader Togadia insulted the people of Jharkhand when he announced at Ranchi recently that there are no tribals at all and that all are Hindus.  Such rabid communal elements are getting government protection.  The RSS elements are entering into governmental institutions in larg e scale.  They are trying to divide the tribals in the name of Christians and Hindus and the people of Jharkhand on communal lines. 

The extremism is increasing and there is total failure of the government to contain extremism.  In the name of controlling extremism, innocents are being repressed by the use of POTA. The landlord elements  and feudal sections are trying to suppress the rural poor.

The declaration annou-nced an eight point charter of demands and decided on a 5 point united action programme which include mass campaign from October 20 to November 30, massive dharna at Ranchi on November 15, the birth day of legendary tribal revolutionary Birsa Munda and Jharkhand formation day parrallel to governmental programmes.  It was decided to hold district level conventions jointly to build up movements in the districts.  The action programme  included organ-ising rallies in industrial areas in defence of rights of the workers.

The convention has enthused all Left functionaries and created a positive impact at the politicl level.  The convention ended with a clarion call for uniting the  toiling forces and building up struggles for an alternative in the state.

The declaration was supported by J S Majumdar, state secretary of CPI(M) , Khagendra Thakur, state secretariat member of CPI, Mahendra Pd. Singh MLA  and state secretariat member  of CPI(ML), Arup Chatterjee MLA and Marxist Co-ordin ation Committee leader and Ramdeo Singh, RSP leader.

The convention was presided by a presidium consisting of State Secretariat member of CPI(M) Rajendra Siungh Munda, Stater Secretary of CPI Bhubaneswar Pd. Mehta, MLA, State Committee member of CPI(ML) Anant Pd. Gupta, State Secretary of Marxist Co-ordination Committee Anand Mahto and Ramdeo Singh of RSP.