padayatra 1

PRIOR to the rally, a historic 175 km padyatra was organized from Gandeya to Tilaiyya in Koderma on 28 September (Bhagat Singh Jayanti) under the Oust BJP-Save Democracy-Save India-Save Jharkhand campaign. The yatra was led by former MLA Com. Vinod Singh and Rajdhanwar MLA Com. Rajkumar Yadav along with other leaders from the CPI(ML).

Carrying banners and flags and resonating with slogans, the Yatra started from Gandeya and proceeded via Dasdih, Maheshmunda, Bahadurpur, Pitkoriya, Bengabad, and Chhotki Karagdih. After covering 38 km it reached Navadih where it halted for the night. All along the way, hundreds of people were present to welcome the Yatra with flowers and refreshments.

29 sept

 

Next day, at 9.30 am, a Nukkad Sabha was held at Navadih Chowk after which the Yatra proceeded via Lataki to Mirzaganj where it participated in the 8th death anniversary program of CPI(ML) leader Ibnul Hasan Basru. After paying tributes to the beloved Comrade the Yatra proceeded to Jamua where a Nukkad Sabha was held attended by hundreds of people and addressed by comrades Vinod Singh, Rajkumar Yadav, Rajesh Yadav, Jayanti Chaudhary, Rameshwar Chaudhary, Puran Mahto and others. The Padyatra then traversed through Tetar and Aamo and reached Palamo where it halted for the night.

tasa

 

On the third day, on 30 September the Yatra began with a Nukkad Sabha at Kodambari Chowk. By this time more than 500 people had joined the Padyatra. The Yatra was welcomed in a special way with ‘Tasa’ playing, which is a traditional welcome of the dalits. The ‘Tasa’ party not only welcomed the Yatra but when it started on its way, 100-150 dalit women accompanied them playing ‘Tasa’ for 20 km until the next halt, Khori Mahua. After a Nukkad Sabha at Khori Mahua, dalit woman leader Kaushalya Das, with her husband Rajkumar Das, led the Yatra team up to Rajdhanwar Bus Stand where hundreds of people welcomed the members with flowers. A Nukkad Sabha was held after which the Yatra proceeded 12 km to Mansadih for another mass meeting and the night halt.

padayatra 2

 

On Day 4, October 1, the Yatra reached Baramasia Chowk in Birni Block where they were given a festive welcome by thousands of people led by Comrade Sitaram Singh. Each member of the team was welcomed by presenting a red ‘gamchha’ (upper cloth) and red flag. About 300 people also joined the Padyatra at this point. After visiting several areas in the Block, the Yatra stopped for the night at Beko village in Birni Block. On day 5, the Yatra set off from Beko and proceeded 25 km through Markachho, Tetran, Pipacho and Jamo to arrive at Jainagar. Meetings were held at the above-mentioned 5 places where the common people evinced great support for ‘change in Koderma’ and great love and affection for the members of the Yatra team.

gandya to kodarma

 

Comrades Vinod Singh, Rajkumar Yadav and several other leaders speaking at the meetings during the Padyatra said that farmers, workers and traders suffered great distress due to the note ban but BJP President Amit Shah’s son Jay Shah profited to the tune of thousands of crores. Black money, instead of coming back to the country, increased by 50% and scamsters ran away abroad with thousands of crores of rupees looted from the common people of India. Those who promised ‘achche din’ (good days) have so far caused 16 starvation deaths in Jharkhand of which 13 were due to ration cards not being linked to Aadhaar. They called upon the people of Jharkhand to stand firmly with the CPI(ML) to oppose this anti-farmer anti-poor government.

vinod

 

A standing team of 10-12 ML leaders including the former MLA and present MLA remained constantly with the Yatra. 500 to above a 1000 people were at various points to welcome the team members and attend the mass meetings.