CHAKKA Jam was organised across Bihar on 4 February. The Purushottam Express was stopped at Gaya by Rasoiyas led by AIPWA leader Rita Barnawal and GT Road was jammed at several places. The Vaishali Express was stopped and the track was captured for a long period of time by the Rasoiyas. Officials from Gorakhpur were forced to come to the spot. At Muzaffarpur also, women lay down on the tracks. The Purnea-Ranchi Superfast Express was stopped at Masaudhi. Trains were also stopped at Madhubani and Darbhanga. Roads were jammed at every Block in Bhagalpur. Gandhi Chowk at Motihari remained jammed for hours. The BRC at Bhojpur was gheraoed. Road blocks were organised at six places in Munger. Chakka jams were held at Gopalganj, Vaishali, Arwal, Jehanabad, Nawada, Buxar and other places. Jams were also held in other areas where other organisations are effective. A gherao program of the MDM Director was organised in Patna. The rally started from the station and reached the MDM office at Buddha Marg, led by leaders of all four organisations. Rasoiyas entered the office and came down only after persuasion. A gate meeting was held after the road was blocked from both sides. The Director held talks with a 7-member delegation of trade union leaders. The Director showed a letter saying he had sent it to the Central government; the letter signed by the Principal Secretary had been sent on 31 January. After 45 minutes of talks the program ended with an assurance from the Director that talks would be arranged with the Education Minister when he came to the city. On 8 February effigy burnings will be organised at each BRC with slogans of ‘Stop Hiding under Excuses of Centre-State’, and ‘Guarantee Minimum Wages’.
AIARLA held Block protests on 16 January in support of the Rasoiyas and met Principals on 21 January and submitted memorandums. A memorandum was submitted to the Collector under the leadership of AIPWA General Secretary Com. Meena Tiwari. Protest marches were organised and memorandums submitted at Bhagalpur, Bhojpur, Muzaffarpur and other places on 28 January.
Initially the strike was 70% to 90% successful in Eastern Champaran, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Siwan, Munger, Bhagalpur, Jamui, Patna, Nalanda, Nawada, Gaya, Arwal, Jehanabad and Patna City. The letters created an atmosphere of fear but the successful Chakka Jam has infused a new and strong energy into the strike. During this strike, our activities expanded in Vaishali, Bhojpur, Gaya, Gopalganj, Buxar and Beguserai. Dharnas were also organised at Betiya and Bhabhua. During this period, creative leadership quality among Rasoiyas has developed well and their dedication and commitment to the struggle has also increased. Songs sung by them received wide audience on U-Tube. 45000 people heard the song sung by Indu Devi of Patna City in one week.
It may however be noted that the government has remained insensitive to the Rasoiyas’ demands from the start. Keeping the elections in view, CM Nitish Kumar is busy performing inaugurations at various places. In order to appease the Rasoiyas before his Munger visit, a delegation was called for talks with the Haveli Khadagpur Commissioner. The next day he lost his temper when Rasoiyas protested at Sitamarhi with rotis in their hands. He said, “Don’t be misled by anyone; if I had my way, this program would be stopped and the money would be put into the children’s accounts’. Taking advantage of the MDM Director’s letter, a few feudal and bribery-minded Principals are putting pressure on the Rasoiyas and some union representatives acting as brokers are attempting to instigate the Rasoiyas. But despite all the fear-mongering the Rasoiyas are coming out from their clutches and joining the strike in large numbers. The threats are more effective where the Rasoiya Sanghs and organisations are less effective.
The strike continues. The Assembly session is to start from 11 February. This battle will be further strategised and strengthened with a firm resolve to take on the government head-on. The CPI (ML) has sharply condemned the insensitivity of the government to the Rasoiyas and has declared that it will bring up in the Bihar Assembly session the continuously insulting behaviour of the so-called ‘Development with Justice’ government towards the weakest section of women in society.
