People's Democracy

A DAY-NIGHT squatting was organised in front of SDM courts from November 21 to 25 --- for five days at many courts and for a day at others. These dharnas took place at the call of the Punjab state committee of CPI(M) to press for its 13 point demands charter. Of these, the main demands pertained to fast track industrialisation of Punjab, transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab and settlement of the river water dispute as well as territorial claims and counter claims in the framework of the Rajiv-Longowal accord. Those sitting on dharnas were addressed by CPI(M) state secretary Balwant Singh, Central Committee members Charan Singh Virdi and Lehmbar Singh Taggar, state secretariat members Rachhpaul Singh, Raghunath Singh and Vijay Mishra, and various district secretaries and other leaders.

These squattings were preparatory to the direct action (morcha) for achievement of the demands. The morcha, which will begin in the first week of February 2006, will, among other actions, include court arrest at district headquarters. The recruitment of volunteers for court arrest has started in right earnest in all districts.

The Janvadi Istri Sabha, Punjab, an affiliate of the All India Democratic Women’s Association, held its state conference at Ludhiana from November 10 to 11 in the Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar Community Hall, rechristened as Shaheed Mata Chand Kaur Atiana Nagar. The delegates session was preceded by an open rally which was attended by more than 3,000 women and addressed by AIDWA president Subhashini Ali Sahgal and its central secretariat member Kalindi Deshpande. As Subhashini rose to address the gathering, she was greeted with a thunderous applause as a daughter of Punjab. (Her father, Col Sehgal, was from Jalandhar in Punjab.) AIDWA general secretary Sudha and working president Shyamli Gupta also attended the conference sessions and guided the deliberations.

The conference delegates raised sky-renting slogans when Subhashini Ali Sahgal hoisted the Sabha flag. After floral tributes were paid at the martyrs column, Tara Sharma moved condolence resolutions when delegates stood in silence for two minutes. The conference presidium comprised Pritam Kaur, Surinder Kaur, Rajinder Kaur, Amarjit Kaur and Krishna Dutta.

After Tara Sharma presented a report on the Sabha’s activities during the last 3 years, 13 delegates representing 8 districts participated in the discussion. The report was then passed unanimously with some minor additions. The delegates session was addressed by Sudha, Subhashini and Shyamli Gupta. The conference adopted several resolutions including one on 33 per cent reservation for women in parliament and state assemblies, against female feticide, against repression on women, etc. The conference then elected a 21 member working committee with Surinder Kaur as president and Rajinder Kaur Chohka as general secretary. In the end the newly elected president, Surinder Kaur, thanked the delegates and assured the central leadership that the new team would do its best to discharge its responsibilities with a deep sense of devotion and dedication.

The Punjab state unit of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) organised Jatha Marches in the state from November 4 to 9 to register protest against the anti-people and anti-national economic policies of the central and state governments. Another purpose was to highlight the demands of Punjab industrial workers like minimum wage revision, abolition of contract labour, proper implementation of labour laws, ration cards and right to vote for migrant workers, and regularisation of daily wage workers who have been working for years together.

Two jathas were organised for the purpose. One of them was led by state CITU general secretary Raghunath Singh and began its march from Hussaniwala, district Firozpur, where three martyrs of our freedom movement --- Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev --- were cremated after they were hanged in the Lahore Central Jail. The second jatha, led by Punjab CITU working president Vijay Mishra, began its march from the historic Jallianwala Bagh in district Amritsar.

The jatha led by Raghunath Singh was given warm welcome by about 200 activists of various federations of government employees, CITU, PCMSRU and other mass organisations. On this occasion, a well attended public meeting took place in front of the deputy commissioner’s office. It was presided over by Punjab Subordinate Services Federation’s district president H S Khungar and addressed by Raghunath Singh, Dev Raj Varma, Sucha Singh and district leaders of various mass organisations. On reaching Malout in district Mukatsar, about 500 industrial workers and activists of various mass organisations welcomed the jatha at the entrance gate of Surya Textile Mill workers colony with roaring slogans. The venue of the rally was decorated with CITU flags and banners highlighting the jatha’s demands. On November 5, the second day, the jatha was received at the grain market in Dhanoula town, district Sangrur, where about 400 FCI and Bhoong workers took part in the rally, with local Bhoong Mazdoor Union president Mukand Singh and Lal Jhanda FCI Palledar & Workers Union president Bikar Singh chairing the rally. Apart from jatha leaders, state CITU office bearers Ram Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Dev Raj Verma and Malkeet Singh addressed the rally.

At Sangrur, the jatha was warmly received at the FCI Depot gate and the big public rally here was chaired by Harbhajan Singh, district president of Lal Jhanda FCI Palledar & Workers Union. Well-attended and impressive public meetings were organised at Malerkotla and Ahmadgarh as well.

The CPI(M) recently organised a three day state level party school at Chandigarh, attended by 85 state committee members, district secretariat members and state level office bearers of class and mass organisations.

The first class on Party Programme was taken by Central Committee member S P Kashayap while another Central Committee member, Charan Singh Virdi, conducted the second class on party organisation and on our approach to mass organisations. The third class on the political tactical line, its evolution since 1964, the current tactical line and the party’s stand on certain policy issues was taken by CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat.