Workers-Farmers Solidarity Rally in Darbhanga
THE CPI(ML) held its 11th Darbhanga District conference on 29-30 January 2019 in the Comrade Hareram Paswan Manch at Dr Nirmal Sabhagar (CPI (ML) office, Pandasarai). On the first day, thousands of workers and farmers marched in a rally from Darbhanga Club to Polo Maidan via Laheriya Sarai Tower, Lohia Chowk and Jail Road. The entire Collectorate area became a sea of red flags during the rally.
Chief guest at the conference, CPI(ML) Polit Bureau member Comrade Dhirendra Jha and other leaders garlanded the statue of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar at Vikas Bhavan. A resolution was taken to uphold the concept of an equitable secular society enshrined in the Constitution by the Constituent Assembly led by Dr Ambedkar as opposed to the RSS and Hindu Mahasabha’s concept of Hindu Rashtra, and to give a fitting reply to BJP-Sangh Parivar’s attacks on democracy and the Constitution by shattering their fascist ambitions.
Addressing the workers-farmers solidarity rally, Com. Dhirendra Jha said that the Modi government is attempting to change the entire narrative of the country and push it backwards; they want to change the Constitution and replace it with the Manusmriti. But the workers, farmers, students, youth, minorities, women, and poor of this country will never allow that to happen. Expressing solidarity with the rasoiyas’ strike and the non-financed teachers and educational workers’ struggles, he said that corporate Raj by Adani, Ambani and Ramdev will not be tolerated in this country of workers and farmers. The time has come now for the people to throw out this anti-people Modi government. He said that in order to oust the BJP, opposition parties need to forge an extensive alliance with Left parties. The Evict BJP drive cannot become successful without a strong Left presence. It is only the Left which has adequate preparations to fight against the BJP’s pseudo-nationalism, its pro-corporate character, and its attacks on Parliamentary democracy. The session was presided over by CPI (ML) District Secretary Baidyanath Yadav.
On the evening of 29 January, the delegates’ session began after 2 minutes’ silence in honour of the martyrs and revolutionary songs presented by RK Sahni. A 7-member presidium was elected. The Secretary of the outgoing committee presented the committee report. Samastipur District Secretary Prof Umesh Kumar and PB member Dhirendra Jha were present as observer and chief guest respectively. Speaking at the delegates’ session, Com. Dhirendra Jha said that today a handful of corporate houses hold the country’s political power. The Left movement must be strengthened in order to bring this political power into the hands of the poor and the villages. He said that the Left movement is once again emerging in Mithilanchal. There has been an acceleration and strengthening of the CPI(ML)’s organizational expansion in Madhubani, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Madhepura, Saharsa, Supoul, Muzaffarpur and other districts. The struggle for rights, land, housing, employment and dignity for the poor is becoming stronger under the leadership of the red flag. He called upon the people to make the joint protest at the Bihar Assembly on 18 February (to demand loan waivers and other rights for farmers including sharecroppers, and to protest against eviction of the poor and dalits) a resounding success. A 45-member District Committee was unanimously elected with Baidyanath Yadav as District Secretary.
