Left Parties Organize Bihar Bandh in Support of General Strike

CPI (ML) and other Left parties jointly organized a very effective Bihar bandh on 9 January in support of the workers’ countrywide general strike. Left activists were arrested during rail and road blocks at various district centres in the State.

A rally led by senior Left leaders started from Gandhi Maidan at 12 noon. Earlier, hundreds of Rasoiyas led by the Bihar Rajya Vidyalaya Rasoiya Sangh had organized a march from Station Golamber; CPI(ML) from Kankarbagh and AICCTU from Hartali More had aso started a march; all these groups converged at Gandhi Maidan and proceeded together to Dakbangla Chowk.

Along with workers from the organized sector, scheme workers, rural workers, construction workers, MNREGA workers, students, youth, banking and insurance workers, and health workers reached Dakbangla Chowk where a meeting was held, addressed by Left leaders, RJD, Vikas Insan Party and other opposition party leaders. The leaders addressing the meeting congratulated the workers on the successful strike and said that this strike is for the demand of withdrawal of anti-worker amendments to the labour laws, Rs 18,000 minimum wage for scheme workers, equal pay for equal work, and reinstatement of the old pension policy. They called upon the people to throw out this anti-worker pro-corporate Modi government in the coming elections.

At Madhubani, AISA-RYA blocked the Shaheed Express for a long period. Marches, road and rail blocks, and dharnas were organized by CPI(ML), AIPWA, AISA, RYA, Insaf Manch, ASHA and Rasoiya organizations at Bochaha and Gayaghat (NH 57), Sakra (NH 28), Turki (NH 72), Musahari, Bandra and Sahebganj. Block HQs were also closed down during this time. Rail and road traffic was also jammed at Jehanabad, Ara, Darbhanga, Siwan, Arwal, Nalanda, Gaya, Nalanda, Bhagalpur, and other places. Bus and other road traffic was blocked at Ara by bandh supporters led by MLA Sudama Prasad, Manoj Manzil, Qayamuddin Ansari, Dilraj Pritam, and Sangeeta Singh.

During the blocking of NH 57 at Darbhanga, ML activists were attacked by BJP workers. A protest was then staged at Simri Thana to demand the arrest of the attackers. Marches and road blocks were also organized at Supoul, Beguserai, Motihari, Katihar, and Aurangabad. During the bandh in support of the workers’ general strike, CPI(ML) activists were arrested at Phulwari Sharif (Patna) and Madhubani.