People's Democracy

Southern and Western Jathas Merge in Bhopal

THE Southern Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha which began its journey on February 24 from Kanyakumari and traversed through Tamilnadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra reached Bhopal on the evening of Tuesday, March 12. Simultaneously, the Western Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha that began its journey from Mumbai on March 08 reached Bhopal after covering Maharashtra. Both these jathas merged at a public meeting organised by the CPI(M) Madhya Pradesh state committee at Neelam Park in Bhopal.

Addressing the gathering, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and leader of Southern jatha, S Ramachandran Pillai said there is no magic or mantra to achieve the most important and genuine demands of the people placed in this jatha programme. The only option is to conduct militant struggles and for this the people must unite overcoming all attempts to divide them on religious, regional and caste lines. He said these struggles must be waged in a consistent and continuous manner to achieve the demands relating to land, house sites, education, employment, health, social justice etc.

CPI(M) central secretariat member and Western jatha member Nilotpal Basu in his speech lambasted the UPA-II government for favouring corporates and neglecting the genuine demands of the common people. He explained the purpose of jatha programme and called upon people to join in large numbers the March 19 rally in Delhi.

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member M A Baby, CPI(M) central secretariat member V Sreenivasa Rao, both members of southern jatha, and CPI(M) central committee member Md Salim and CPI(M) Maharashtra state secretariat member Mariam Dhawale, both members of western jatha were also present. CPI(M) Madhya Pradesh unit state secretary Badal Saroj spoke in the meeting that was presided over by Hanumantha Lal.

Earlier, the western jatha had an impressive meeting in Sihor town, around 40 km away from Bhopal. More than 80 per cent of participants were women, mostly agricultural workers and various scheme workers. They connected to the speeches made by jatha leaders.

In the morning at a 'Meet the Press' held at Indore Press Club, Nilotpal Basu and Md Salim highlighted the danger of communal forces to the nation. Indore has been a hotbed of Hindu fundamentalist forces with most of the conspirators of Hindutva terror group coming from here. The CPI(M) leaders pointed out that internal security can be ensured when all citizens are made to live in harmony and security. Just buying up arms would not help, said Salim in reply to a question. He pointed out that it is in the strongholds of those who talk a lot about internal security that people feel more insecure due to their divisive politics.

(N S Arjun)