Sangharsh Sandesh

The Sangharsh Sandesh Jathas organised by the CPI(M) concluded with a big public meeting held at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on March 19.

In an impressive gathering that reflected the diversity of India, the Party gave a call for further intensifying struggles in the coming days on the six basic demands it had raised during the Jathas – land to the landless, house to the houseless, ensuring employment, education, health and universal PDS and ensuring social justice and an end to corruption. Between May 15 and 31, for one whole week, the Party had called for picketing of all the government offices from block, district to the state level throughout the country.

CPI(M), it may be recalled, had undertaken a massive outreach programme with all the prominent leaders of the Party criss crossing the entire country for 21 days. In fact, they had travelled for over 11,000 kilometres, moving through the most backward regions of the country. The Jatha leaders recounted their experiences in the public rally.

S. Ramachandran Pillai, who had led the Southern Jatha recalling his experiences stated that 32 suicides were recorded in the last 30 days in Yavatmal, Maharashtra, a region through which the Jatha passed through. He also mentioned about how he was questioned by some women from the jhuggi jhopris near Nagpur, who wanted to know how their problems could be solved.

Shankar Rao Danao, a participant in the public rally from Yavatmal, Maharashtra says that he had been fighting for land rights for the last 10 years but still in vain. “We want jobs, and BPL cards to be given”. This is in fact the demand of many of the participants in the rally.

Brinda Karat, talking about her experiences in leading the Northern Jatha, particularly mentioned the problems of the peasants in Haryana who were issued kurki (land eviction) notices. She also spoke about how the Haryana government is taking away the BPL cards from many of the poor people in the name of weeding out bogus cards. She said Haryana government is giving away thousands of acres of prime land to industrial houses and real estate agents, and driving out peasants from agriculture.

The public rally saw a huge participation from Haryana. Sheela from Hissar district of Haryana says how it has become a struggle for her to get anything in her life – education, health and livelihood. She came along with her two year old baby and lots of hopes.

Sitaram Yechury who led the Western Jatha from Mumbai narrated how his Jatha had started from Southern Mumbai, one of the richest areas in India and travelled through Thane, Dhule and Nandurbar, one of the poorest and backward regions of the country. He said that due to the neglect of the governments, peasants in Nandurbar are facing drought. He stated that if the government does not give tax concessions to the rich and corporates, many irrigation projects across the country can be completed, to ensure that there is no drought in the country.

Shakuntala from Madhya Pradesh nods approvingly, as she comes from a region where there is no water, no electricity and no work. “Many a day we have gone to bed without food”, she says with a ten-month old baby in her arms.

Prakash Karat who led the Eastern Jatha from Kolkata, along with Biman Bose spoke about the experiences of his Jatha and criticised the policies of the UPA government that is responsible for the hardships of the people. He said that these Jathas are organised not with elections in mind, but to strengthen the struggles for alternative policies. Flanked by all the leaders of the Left parties, he called upon the people to join the struggle for an alternative to the policies pursued by both the Congress and the BJP. Criticising the 'Gujarat model' as a model that is beneficial to the rich corporates, he also brought to the notice the communal and authoritarian tendencies of Modi's rule in Gujarat.

Biman Bose spoke about the experiences of the Jatha and stated that the Left Front in West Bengal was formed through struggles waged on the issues of the people for many years before it had come to power. He said that only struggle will ensure a real alternative for the people.

Manik Sarkar, chief minister of Tripura addressing the rally said the alternative policies which are pro-people that the Left Front government in Tripura pursued has strengthened the progressive forces in the state and paved the way for the formation of the Seventh Left front government in Tripura. He exhorted the people to fight for a better future.

Nasya Masum from Sukhadi, Godda district in Jharkhand concurs and says that they had no work, no place to go and even for water, had to walk miles to fetch a pot. “We have no resources to lead a humanly possible life”. She said that it is only through struggles she was part of in her district that got them whatever little benefits they have today. She wants the CPI(M) to do something to ensure that there is decent work available, so that they can eat at least one full meal.

This is the sentiment that is reflected among almost all the participants in the public rally. They want something to be done to ensure that there is a change in their lives. They strongly believe it is only the CPI(M) and the Left that still has the capacity to ensure this.

Many of the media colleagues were pleasantly surprised at the huge turn-out for the public rally. They did not expect such numbers, believing in what they were all through writing – the CPI(M) is a party without future. Of course, this surprise and realisation of the CPI(M)'s hold over the poor people in our country and more importantly, the trust of the poor in the CPI(M), could not convince their editors to give sufficient space in their media.

Ignored by design or not by the media, CPI(M) has once again proved that its electoral setbacks does not in any way mean it is a declining force in the country. The Party, through this rally once again promised to standby the downtrodden and their basic demands of land, food, education and health. The rally, as the leaders claim, also revitalised the Party machinery once again. The Party hopes that the call for struggles announced from the public rally will mobilise the masses into action and put political pressure on the government to act.

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