People's Democracy

Lok Morcha Holds Massive Rally In Shimla

Tikender Singh Panwar

THOUSANDS of people thronged the capital town of Himachal Pradesh, Shimla right from the early wee hours of the day on October 27, 2005 in one of the largest gatherings organised in the town. From Poanta Sahib bordering the state of Uttrakhand in the east to Tissa in Chamba bordering Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir in the west and from Chitkhul the last village in Indian territory in Kinnaur district bordering Tibet in China in the north to the plains of Nalagarh and Una bordering the state of five rivers of Punjab, people came from all over the state. Some rallyists in fact reached the venue as early as 3 in the morning.

The mobilisation, which can be termed as one of the largest gatherings organised in the state was done under the banner of ‘Him Lok Morcha’ formed by several mass and class organisations, namely CITU, Himachal Kisan Sabha, SFI, DYFI, JMS and the People’s Science movement.

THE RALLY

Various jathas coming from different corners of the state entered the Ice Skating ring, the venue of the rally at different intervals. The procession started from the Panchayat Bhavan near the bus stand, where the rallyists had assembled, marched through the Lower Bazar and reached the venue.  The jatha from Anni of Kullu district had come with traditional band used in marriages and such other occasions, which is slowly becoming extinct thanks to the social disorder still prevalent in our society which is based on caste (majority of the band players are dalits).

The main speaker in the rally, Dipankar Mukherjee, national secretary of CITU spoke after the convenor of the Lok Morcha Kashmir Singh Thakur placed the perspective of the Lok Morcha. (Detailed political and economic aspects about the state has already appeared earlier in these columns)

Dipankar Mukherjee, in a popular style ridiculed the Congress government for implementing the economic agenda in the interests of the monopolies and big business houses. He termed the incumbent arrangement of UPA, where the Left is supporting a Congress-led government from outside, a political necessity. He gave an interesting simile of the arrangement: this was nothing more than using the water from the gutter to extinguish the fire being spread by the BJP in the country. Mukherjee further explained the reason for deflationary policies being pursued by successive governments and stated that this has led to severe unemployment in the country.

The other speakers in the rally included Amar Singh Raghwa from the Kisan Sabha, Kushal Bhardwaj from the DYFI, Santosh Kapoor from JMS and Kuldeep Singh Tanwar from the People’s Science Movement. Jagat Ram from the CITU conducted the proceedings of the rally.

The former MLA from Shimla and former CITU state president Rakesh Singha inaugurated the convention. In his brief speech he highlighted the severe challenges the people of the country and the state were facing. He castigated both the Congress and the BJP for hoodwinking the people by their false promises and class-biased policies. He also placed the rationale behind the holding of the rally. He stated that the present Morcha is not a front for elections but a front for struggles in which thousands of people shall be involved to defeat the nefarious policies of the bourgeoisie landlord governments.

INTENSIVE CAMPAIGN

The Lok Morcha was formed on August 6 2005, by several organisations in a massive convention in Kali Bari Hall. The Morcha had decided to bring to the forefront the issues of the people and militantly fight for their basic rights. In the run up to the rally, the state saw a widespread campaign in the state. The months of August and September were utilised to hold district level conventions and later area and tehsil level conventions were held which were followed by local level rallies. Jatha marches were also held throughout the state thereby unleashing a mass propaganda campaign for almost two months. State and district level leaders participated in this campaign. A target of 10 per cent membership strength of mass organisation was set for the mobilisation, and for the CITU it was put at 20 per cent.

ISSUES

The state of Himachal Pradesh was carved out keeping in consideration the geographic and political aspirations of the people of the state. The state had acquired a special category status and the help from the centre proved to be a major bulwark in developing the economy of the state. The state comparatively has better indices as far as socio-economic development is concerned. The state has a major services sector which was developed over the years. But now this development is unsustainable.

After the nationalisation of the forests, the major source of income to the state has gone. The other major source of income, the huge hydel potential the state possesses is not being properly harnessed because of international agencies-dictated wrong policies. And now the centre has even snatched the special category status. After the Reorganisation of the States Act of 1966, the state was to get a share of 7.19 per cent from Pong, Dehar and Bhakra projects, which are in Himachal Pradesh.  Besides the state is to get a royalty of 12 per cent in these projects. The total amount before 1990 is more than Rs 4600 crore and successive state governments have failed to get this share. The state is now virtually in a debt trap. The state owes a liability of more than Rs 16,000 crore.

The state instead of fighting out these policies and finding alternative means of mobilisation of resources, has gone in for another spell of structural adjustment loan of more than Rs 8000 crore.

ATTACK ON THE PEOPLE

The neo liberal policies being pursued by both the state and central governments have severely effected the lives of the people. A large number of industries in the industrial belt of Parwanoo, Baddi, Poanta and Barotiwala have closed down. Though some new industries have come up and an investment of Rs 10,000 crore has taken place but very few new employment has been generated. The companies are recruiting cheap labour from other states for maximum gains. The BJP and Congress are hand in glove as far as these policies are concerned. The BJP welcomed the passing of Fiscal Responsibility and Budgetary Management Bill in the state assembly stating that it would limit the fiscal deficit and is a step in a right direction. Recently the MoU (memorandum of understanding) between the central and the state government regarding fiscal reforms has further exposed the unholy game played by both the BJP and the Congress. The BJP has actually implemented the terms of the MoU during its regime without even signing it. It included service taxes in various departments, user-charges in health and water, abolishing the vacant posts in various departments (more than 35000 posts lie vacant in the state which are on the verge of being abolished altogether). Now the Congress has finally signed the document, which is proving to be a savage attack on the livelihood of the people of the state. Even the employment being given on compassionate grounds stands highly scrutinised through the office of the CM, virtually forcing the claimants to withdraw their claim.

In the earnest direction to serve their mentors in the financial agencies, the state government has levied a professional tax on the cross section of the people of the state. The range is so arbitrary that a worker in a factory and the owner has to pay tax with a difference of just Rs 100.  After protests, the Group D employees with a salary of less than Rs 4,000 a month have been exempted from this tax. The tax charged is in the series of Rs 50, Rs 100 and Rs 200. Strong protests have been organised in the state by central government employees, employees from financial institutions and various kinds of trade unions. But dominant sections of the state government employees preferred to remain stooge of the government and did not participate. They instead supported the tax.

Ironically when the state government is crying hoarse about heavy expenditure and the need to reduce the fiscal deficit, the state cabinet has been so expanded as to accommodate almost all the elected legislators of the ruling party! A whole new team of parliamentary secretaries and chief parliamentary secretaries was appointed to appease different factions in the Congress. The entire burden, of course, was being borne by the people of the state.

Later, the Himachal Pradesh High Court set aside these appointments.

It is in this background that the Lok Morcha had given a call for a huge mobilisation on October 27. The rally has given a clarion call to continue the fight against these policies and remain in the forefront of people’s struggles. That is why the central slogan of the rally was Takht Badal Do, Taj Badal Do, Udarikaran aur Nijikaran walon ka Raj Badal Do meaning change the rule of those bent upon liberalisation and privatisation.

The Morcha has announced its decision to hold dharnas at the district level on February 3, 2006 and called for mobilising greater number of people into the struggles.

DEMANDS

Various demands of cross section of the people of the state have been raised during the course of the campaign and during the rally. Following are a few of those:

Demands of the state:

1. Special category status is accorded to the state.

2. In all the hydel projects of the state the royalty be increased from 12 to 15 per cent plus the state must get an equity share of 30 per cent in all the projects being constructed in the state.

Workers demands:

1. All those workers who have completed 7 years of service on daily wage basis be regularised

2. The minimum wage of the workers be increased to Rs 116.00 per day.

Demands of the peasants:

1. People who have less than 20 bighas of land especially scheduled caste, scheduled tribe widows and others are provided land and the Forest conservation act of 1980 be amended. Peasants who have encroached land and have less than 20 bighas in all, their land be regularised (subject to that the total land does not exceed 20 bighas) at market price.

2. The-state govt. may increase expenditure on agriculture and the total land to be brought under irrigation be increased to 30 per cent.

3. The menace of loss to the crop because of wild animals is checked.

4. Horticultural produce being sent to other states may not be charges with market fees.

Demands of Women:

1. Women be provided 33 per cent reservation in the Legislative assembly.

2. In every block women police stations be opened and at least 10 per cent women recruitment be ensured.

Demands of Youth:

1. At least Rs 500.00 unemployment allowance be provided to unemployed youth.

2. At least 70 per cent employment is provided to the youth of the state in the hydel projects being constructed.

Students demands:

1. Fees regulation be done in private institutions.

2. Vacant posts of teachers be filled immediately.

Demands of pensioners:

1. On the Punjab pattern the pension be increased to 5,10, an 15 per cent on attaining the age of 65, 75 and 80 years receptively.

Ex-Servicemen demands:

1. One rank one pension be implemented.

2. A separate regiment for Himachal be created.