Struggle for Employment, Against Closer of Industries in Darbhanga

RURAL workers and peasants started an indefinite dharna at the Ashok Paper Mill in Darbhanga on 11 August 2018 under the banners of the CPI(ML), AIARLA and All India Kisan Mahasabha with the demand to “Start the Ashok Paper Mill or Return Farmers’ Lands”.

AIARLA District President Jangi Yadav said that all industries of Mithilanchal are closed down in the Nitish-Modi regime and as a result the people of Mithilanchal are forced to migrate in search of employment. The MPs and MLAs of Mithilanchal are silent on the closure of the industries which has angered the farmers of the area. In the coming elections the people will surely ask questions of Nitish-Modi and teach them a lesson. CPI(ML) leader RK Sahani said that the Ashok Paper Mill has remained closed for some decades.

Dharam Godha, the Director of this company who enjoyed governmental impunity, took away crores of rupees in the name of the Mill, but the people’s representatives are silent on this loot and its perpetrator. This company was declared sick and referred to BIFR back in 1988 and the latter has given an order for its restructuring by the Bihar govt. But the state govt. has not taken over the administration of the Mill as per the order till now even after decades of persuasion by the employees as well as peasants of the area. Speakers at dharna demanded that if the government cannot start the Ashok Mill again, they must return the farmers’ lands and make arrangements for employment for the people of this area.

The dharna was also addressed by AIARLA State Vice President Laxmi Paswan, CPI(ML) District Committee members Mohammad Jamaluddin and Prince Kumar Karn. This was followed by talks with the Hayaghat CO but the talks were a failure and the dharna continued the next day also. Addressing the dharna on the second day, CPI(ML) Politburo member Dhirendra Jha said that the decades-long closure of the Ashok Paper Mill raises a huge question mark over the government’s claims of development. Dharam Godha has embezzled the money given as loan by the bank for the purpose of re-starting the Mill. When the people protested against the machines being taken out of the Mill, they were fired upon and Sushil Sahu was killed in the firing. Till today the Nitish government has not given compensation to the victim family. He demanded that the government should issue a white paper on the Ashok Paper Mill without delay. The dharna was ended when the Hayaghat SDO gave the assurance that they would act on the memorandum within 3 days and write to the Chief Minister about the matter.