CPI(ML) HOME Vol.9, No.19 9 - 15 MAY, 2006

The Weekly News Bulletin of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist)(Liberation)

U-90, Shakarpur, Delhi 110092. Tel: (91)11-22521067. Fax(91)11-22518248

 
In this Issue

“We want justice! We want justice!!”

Hundreds of young men and women chanting this slogan in unison on Srinagar streets – over the last few days the whole country has repeatedly seen this image on television channels. And this must have struck an immediate chord with viewers in every corner of the country. True, the Srinagar protesters had their own reasons to demand justice with such visibly passionate anger, but they were chanting a slogan which has become a rallying cry for millions of Indians from different walks of life. The demand for justice unites the alienated Kashmiri youth with a whole range of people across the length and breadth of our vast country. From the Delhi intelligentsia shocked by the acquittal of the murderers of Jessica Lal to the people of Jharkhand who want to see the killers of Comrade Mahendra Singh behind prison bars, justice is a common dream coveted by all.

To return to the protests in Srinagar , a sex racket was exposed a few days ago in the city and it came to light that the racket had the patronage of an ugly nexus of certain ministers, police officials and some other powerful individuals. When angry Kashmiri men and women came out in their hundreds on the streets of Srinagar demanding immediate and effective action against this nexus, the police greeted them with lathis and water canons. And like a true feudal and patriarchal chieftain, the Congress Chief Minister of J&K, Ghulam Nabi Azad called upon the Srinagar women to stop their agitation as it portrayed their daughters and sisters and the state in a bad light! While everybody accused his government of shielding the guilty, Azad described the sex racket as a fall-out of militancy in the valley!

While Srinagar exposed how women were being simultaneously subjected to both organized sexual exploitation and state repression, the Supreme Court provided an example of supreme callousness and contempt of its own previous verdict to show how justice could be denied to a people already damned and drowned in the name of development. Going back on its previous order of rehabilitation before construction, the SC has now given the go-ahead for further construction in the Sardar Sarovar project and hence more displacement when the UPA Government's own ministerial team has acknowledged the abysmal record of rehabilitation till date. By slamming the last door of justice on the displaced people of the Narmada valley, the Supreme Court has virtually authorized the state to reenact dozens of Kalinganagar not only in the Narmada valley but all over the country.

Meanwhile, in Patna the Nitish Kumar government, which swears by greater justice for women and extreme backward castes, has wound up the Amir Das commission instituted in the wake of the Laxamanpur-Bathe massacre in which more than sixty men, women and children, all belonging to dalits and extreme backward castes were butchered in one single night in December 1997 by the infamous Ranvir Sena. It may be recalled that the Amir Das commission was set up with the specific task of identifying the political links of the Sena and it had served notice to several top leaders and sitting MLAs of the BJP, JD(U) and RJD. All through the 1980s and 1990s, the private armies of landlords have massacred the rural poor of Bihar , now Nitish Kumar's regime of ‘good governance' is slaughtering the people's right to secure even a semblance of belated justice.

In neighbouring Jharkhand, the CBI team probing the killing of CPI(ML) leader Comrade Mahendra Singh, has reportedly come up with a status report listing a number of serious irregularities committed by the local police right from the time of his assassination. Yet instead of investigating the role of Dipak Varma, the then Giridih SP and a prime accused in the assassination case, only a DSP-level inquiry has been initiated to probe the lapses on the part of the local SI and ASI. Varma is perhaps the most notorious police official in Jharkhand who is believed to have masterminded several killings all through his career, beginning with the killing of Bidar Nag, an activist of the Jharkhand movement, to the most recent cases of assassination of advocate Prashant Sahay and CPI(ML) leader and legislator Mahendra Singh. Can the people of Jharkhand ever get justice if the celebrated long arm of law continues to bless men like Varma and allow them to operate with absolute impunity?

When injustice rules in the name of ‘development, good governance and rule of law', the quest for justice cannot remain limited to sporadic expressions of intellectual dissent. The time has come when the demand for justice must rock the whole country as a gigantic movement of the Indian people.

CPI(ML) Steps Up Movement for Reinstatement of Amir Das Commission

With the demand to reinstate Amir Das Commission and to remove Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Sushil Modi from the ministry, CPI(ML) organised a bandh in four central Bihar districts of Jahanabad, Arwal, Gaya and Bhojpur on May 8. The Bandh was also called in Goh block of Paliganj and Paliganj block of Patna district, which witnessed many heinous crimes of the dreaded feudal army Ranvir Sena. The bandh call received an overwhelming response from the people.

Ministers named in Amir Das report

Murli Manohar Joshi : BJP Vice President, threatened the officer-in-charge of Paliganj Police station against taking action in the Haibaspur massacre. Sushil Kumar Modi : BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister, Bihar , was in nexus with the Ranvir Sena and sought help from it during elections. C P Thakur : Ex-Minister and BJP leader named for attending Sena in 1997 ahead of the Haibaspur massacre and a close aide of Ranveer Sena's supremo Brahmeshwar Mukhia. Akhilesh Singh : Union Minister of State from RJD, has been charged with seeking help from the banned outfit during elections and funding Sena's activities. Kanti Singh : Minister of State, has been charged with seeking help from Sunil Pandey, during 1996 Parliamentary elections.

Other names in the list: Senior RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari , former president of the Bihar Congress unit Ram Jatan Sinha , a minister with the Nitish government Nand Kishore Yadav , ex-MP JD(U) Arun Kumar , formerRJD minister, Mundrika Singh Yadav , former president of Samta Party Raghunath Jha , JD(U) MLA Krishna Sardar , former MLAs Akhlaque Ahmed and Jagdish Sharma , former MPs, late Chandradev Prasad Verma and late Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav.

Party activists and supporters blocked many highways and rail tracks while many markets in towns remained closed on the day. Processions were taken out at different places. Party supporters in large numbers enforced bandh and blockaded roads in Jahanabad and other places while police and administration desperately tried to foil the bandh by using force on peaceful protesters at many places. Bandh was also observed in Nawada and a road blockade and procession was held in support of the bandh in Darbhanga.

CPI(ML) had handed over a memorandum to the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on April 29 demanding an apology from him, removal of Sushil Kumar Modi from the ministry, immediate reinstatement of the disbanded Commission and that its report be made public immediately. But the CM had shied away from these demands saying that he is only implementing the decision already taken by the now removed Governor Buta Singh. Although he himself has reversed many of the decisions taken by the Governor. This has exposed Nitish Kumar's self proclaimed 'mission' of good governance in favour of dalits and the poor. Though he fails to explain the reasons behind this decision of protecting some of the most brutal killers of the century and their political henchmen, everyone knows that this is done to appease his BJP allies in the government and the upper caste landlord-kulak-criminal lobby of Bihar which is not only swallowing all the resources and developmental funds meant for the state but also has been involved in exploitation and oppression of poor and dalits of the state.

Such decisions certainly boost the morale of fascist, reactionary and anti-people forces, but the fact that the whole of Bihar is expressing resentment through statewide protests against Nitish Govt. explicitly tells that people of Bihar will never allow protectors of Ranvir Sena, which perpetrated innumerable killings and massacres of dalits and oppressed people in Bihar , to go scot free.

The Amir Das Commission was constituted after Laxmanpur-Bathe massacre in Arwal district in 1997 to expose the political and administrative links of Ranvir Sena. When this Commission was at the verge of completing its report, it was abandoned by the government to save those who protected and used the Sena against the increasing assertion of dalits and oppressed in the state.

Earlier, CPI(ML) has conducted a 48-hour fast in Patna and protests in all the block and district headquarters in support of these demands. A convention was held in Patna on May 3 where this frustrated attempt to save the political patrons of Ranvir Sena was widely condemned. A demonstration was also held in Patna on may 5. Justice Amir Das has reportedly said in the media recently that it was a matter of few months to submit the final report on the findings of the Commission.

Citizens' Petition to the President of India

Many prominent citizens, intellectuals, professionals and activists have signed on a petition requesting the President of India 's immediate intervention in the matter of disbanding Amir Das Commission. They have urged the President to ensure that this decision of Bihar Govt. is reversed and the Commission granted the necessary time and facilities to finish its job of identifying the patrons of the massacres. The petition was also signed by Arundhati Roy, Jean Dreze, Anil Sadgopal, John Dayal, Anand Patwardhan, and many others. The petition reads as follows:

"We are shocked at the Bihar government's decision to abandon the Amir Das Commission, which has been probing the political links of the Ranvir Sena. That the Commission has been disbanded at a time when the Commission was nearing completion of its report makes it highly suspect.

It may be recalled that the Amir Das Commission was set up in the wake of the brutal December 1997 massacre of more than 60 men, women and children belonging to socially and economically oppressed groups of Laxmanpur-Bathe, Jehanabad by the killers of the Ranvir Sena. Late President KR Narayanan, had called this massacre a national shame and in the face of countrywide protests and international condemnation, the government of Bihar had been forced to set up this Commission to identify the political forces patronising the killers of the dalit and rural poor of Bihar . The upper-caste landlord army of the Ranveer Sena killed 282 labouring poor between 1995 and 2000 in Jehanabad, Patna , Gaya , Rohtas, Bhojpur, Aurangabad and Nawada. In the past, the Commission had repeatedly complained of non-cooperation by the government and the accused political leaders, many of them from the BJP.

The current Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar has even gone on record describing the very formation of the Commission as flawed. ... By abandoning the Commission just before completion and submission of its report, the Bihar government has exposed its desperation to shield the accused many of whom are important leaders of the present ruling combine including ministers and MLAs.

The government is thus also conveying to the oppressed poor in the State that far from ensuring justice, it is working towards shielding the political and social forces who have presided over the massacre. The undemocratic approach and the intent of the State govt. can be gauged from the fact that the announcement to disband the Commission came just after the Assembly Session was concluded!

The security of the poor is threatened by this act. We hence request your immediate intervention in this matter and urge you to ensure that the decision to abandon the Amir Das Commission is reversed and the Commission granted the necessary time and facilities to finish its job of identifying the patrons of the massacres.

Comrade Dipankar Charged with Attempt to Murder!!

A court of Additional Judicial Commissioner in Ranchi has booked a case against CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya and five other activists under various charges including attempt to murder. The case was registered under sections of IPC including 307, 323, 324, 353, 506, 431, 147, 148, 149, and 188. Why the case was registered and these sections meant for criminals were imposed? Because he led a democratic protest against the police firing in Dorenda and Tapakara in 2001 when many innocent people were killed by the police. A demonstration in front of Jharkhand Assembly was organised by CPI(ML) on March 1, 2006 demanding action against the killer police and administrative officials. Killers of Doranda and Tapkara are still roaming scotfree, but the BJP Govt. in Jharkhand spent no time in booking cases against CPI(ML) leaders to tell the world that it views democratic agitations of the people only as criminal activities.

Party's Jharkhand State Secretary Shubhendu Sen has termed this incident one more murder of democracy by the autocratic BJP regime and demanded to withdraw cases immediately. Today, hundreds of CPI(ML) activists are languishing in various jails of the country on similar concocted charges, and nearly thirty of them are convicted/detained under the draconian TADA which was 'repealed' long back. Many of our leaders in Jharkhand and Bihar are facing false charges under various criminal sections ranging from sedition to murder. Genuine democratic movements really pose a danger to the ruling elite of the country as their very existence is based on the exploitation of the most downtrodden and toiling masses, but history tells us that such oppressive measures by the state have never succeeded in its motive of containing the aspirations of the people. We go by the history and vow to intensify the movement further towards a people's democratic India .

Press Release

UPA Govt.-SC must stop playing with the lives of the evacuees of Narmada Dam

CPIML has said in a statement that the people must see through the bluff being peddled by the UPA government on the Sardar Sarovar issue. Whether the Supreme Court move to pass off the decision to stall the construction of the Sardar Sarovar to Manmohan Singh was yet another round of the football match being played between the two?

The Supreme Court's statement has bought further time for those constructing the dam. When the construction is expected to finish around 30 June, deferring decision till July 7 goes towards delaying justice till it is denied. While the Supreme Court violates its own previous judgement on the issue, the UPA government has acted according to the wishes of Gujarat 's Modi government which is against the interest of the adivasis and the farmers.

ACTIVITIES

Campaign for Employment Guarantee Intensifies in Jharkhand

Jharkhand Mazdoor Kisan Samiti observed May Day as Rozgar Adhikar Diwas and started a month-long Employment Guarantee campaign in the state. In last month it conducted a similar campaign for the registrations of the rural workers under the NREGA and block level gheraoes were organised throughout the state which were successful in the sense that the BJP Govt. in the state was forced to start some work under this Act and at many places the task of registrations and job cards distribution was taken up. But the govt. is still not willingly implementing the whole Scheme and the only way left is to increase pressure through mass mobilisations.

Rallies, flag hoistings and mass meetings were organised in Barwadih, Manika and Latehar of Latehar district on May 1 to observe the 'Rozgar Adhikar Diwas'. Palamou Deputy Commissioner's office was gheraoed on May 2 with the slogan 'Issue Job Cards, Provide Employment'. This was a huge success as more people than our expectations participated in the gherao despite police's attempt to stop the agitators. The protest continued through the whole day after the agitators turned down DC's request for a talk with a selected delegation on the issue of non-implementation of the NREGA. He was told in a straight forward manner that he gave assurances on two earlier occasions but failed to fulfil them, now if anything new he has then he must come out in the open and tell the agitating people himself. It was decided in that dharna to intensify the agitation till the Scheme was implemented without any anomalies. Now the district administration has issued orders to all the BDOs to issue job cards to all applicants within a week.

Similar gheraoes were also held in Meral and Ranka blocks of Garhwa district on May 2. It was promised to issue job cards within a week in Meral Block, while at Ranka, the BDO had to apologize to the people for the delay in distribution. The BDO also apologised for the 600 job cards which were seized by the people from a broker in Ranka and deposited to the former during the protest. The practice of 'distribution' of Job Cards through brokers is still rampant despite repeated complaints. Gheraoes were also held in the block HQs of Dhurki and Ramuna blocks on 3 and 4 May respectively.

The series of agitations is also continuing in all three districts of Palamou region where the administration had to issue job cards, nearly one lakh, under movemental pressure. But it is just a drop in the ocean and we need to step up the movement further. Moreover, it was also observed at some places that the administration concedes to our demand of job card distribution in the areas of our influence only while at other places brokers and middlemen continues to rule the roost.

AISA Protests Hike in Electricity Tariffs and Power Failure

All India Students' Association Assam State Unit staged a militant protest on 4 May at Bijuli Bhawan, Guwahati against proposed electricity price hike and for regularization of power supply in the state.

The Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) had taken a loan of Rs. 1200 cores from Asian Development Bank last years and instead of taking any steps to increase power production, it has disbundled ASEB into five companies and decided to hike power tariff in every slab, to fulfill its agenda of liberalisation. On the other, hand people are suffering badly from the unprecedented load shading.  

Around 100 protesters of AISA started march from ASTC bus station, Paltanbazar to Bijuli Bhawban, HQ of Assam State Electricity Board. Security of the board tried to block the march at the main entrance, but the protesters went ahead breaking through the gates. Security-men also tried to prevent the marchers at the next gate. While peaceful protesters were staging a dharna in front of the main door of Bijuli Bhawan amidst stiff opposition by the staff security, additional police force arrived at the spot and in association with the security personnel attacked the protesters. Fifteen students including two girl students became seriously injured. Police arrested AISA activist Akhil Rongson and Valindra Saikia, State Secy. of AISA. Police illegally detained Valindra Saikia at Paltanbazar lock-up for the whole night.

AISA has demanded regular power supply in the state and to withdraw electricity price hike, anti-people electricity reforms and to stop corruption.

Obituary

Comrade Ramgulam Patel breathed his last on 21 March 2006 in Pratapgarh (UP). He was 60 years of age. He started his political journey in early student days when he became active in Socialist Party and Shoshit Samaj Dal. He joined CPI(ML) in 1977. He was the District President of Indian People's Front during 80s. Very much respected by the people in his area, his commitment for the Party was also exemplary. He was a person always ready to help comrades during various movemental endeavours. Party fielded him twice in elections from Kunda Assembly constituency. His deep hatred towards feudal values and system and oppressive state led him to lead many socio-cultural and political movements. He was a staunch follower of the peasant movement started before independence by Baba Ramchandra in Pratapgarh which was consciously undermined and betrayed by Jawaharlal Nehru.

Party organised a condolence meeting in his memory which was addressed by UP State Secretary Akhilendra Pratap Singh, CPI(ML) District Incharge Mahadev Patel, CPM District Secretary Lal Bahadur Tiwary, Ram Padarath and others.

Edited, published and printed by S. Bhattacharya for CPI(ML) Liberation from U-90, Shakarpur, Delhi-92; printed at Bol Publication, R-18/2, Ramesh Park, Laxmi Nagar, Delhi-92; Phone:22521067; fax: 22518248, e-mail: mlupdate@cpiml.org, website: www.cpiml.org

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