Bharat Bandh against 13-Point Roster

CPIML activists participated actively in support of the Bharat Bandh on 5 March 2019 for the following demands: withdraw the 13-point roster; bring an ordinance for the reinstatement of the 200-point roster; revoke the unconstitutional 10% reservation for the economically backward; stop eviction of adivasis; prepare a register of the poor and the homeless.
Bihar

In Bihar, running of trains in many areas were affected, so was the traffic on National and State highways and organized protests took place at many places. AIARLA organized protests in front of District and Block HQs against the attacks on housing and land of the poor, and demanded that a Register of all dalits, poor, and homeless should be prepared. AIARLA activists submitted a memorandum to the local authorities addressed to the President of India.

State Secretary Kunal said that the Modi government has been constantly attacking the reservation for dalits and OBC, and is bent on ending this reservation; on the other hand, they have brought the unconstitutional 10% reservation for the economically backward. The 13-point roster will end the already low possibilities for dalits and OBCs in Universities. Not even a single teacher from the reserved category will be appointed. He demanded that the Central government should immediately bring an ordinance to restore the 200-point roster.

AIARLA General Secretary Dhirendra Jha said that not only are dalit SC/ST/BC reservations being cut, they are being evicted from homesteads across the country. Dalits long settled on lands are being evicted especially in Bihar; lakhs of poor have either been already evicted or have been given eviction notice. So many years after independence, the right to housing has still not been given the status of a fundamental right. The government is evicting adivasis from forests and dalits and the poor from the plains. This pro-corporate character of Modi is being watched by the entire country, and he will be taught a lesson in the coming days.

Railway traffic was obstructed at many places in Bihar. CPIML, AISA and RYA activists blocked trains at Ara. CPIML leader Raju Yadav held a march through the city. RYA National President Manoj Manzil and State President Ajit Kushwaha led the Bharat bandh here. The next morning, the Sampark Kranti Express was obstructed at Darbhanga. AISA and RYA activists obstructed the Janaki Express. The rail line at Beguserai was blocked by AISA activists.

At Darbhanga, the Laheriyaserai-Bahedi road was blocked for hours. NH-139 and NH-110 were jammed at Arwal. The bandh received huge support at Banka and dharnas were organized at Jamui and Chakai. AISA and RYA activists blocked NH-98 at Katihar. Protest marches, meetings, and dharnas were organized at Samastipur and Jehanabad. In Patna Rural, dharnas were held at Block HQs including Paliganj, Masaurhi, Dulhinbazaar, and Bihta. Protests in support of the Bharat bandh were organized at about 200 Block HQs across Bihar.

Jharkhand

At Sariya (Giridih) CPIML, AISA, RYA, and JMS organized a joint march and meeting in support of the Bharat bandh against increasing attacks on dalits and adivasis, against the anti-Jharkhand domicile policy and tampering with reservation, to demand OROP for jawans, status of martyr for all martyred soldiers, white paper on the employment situation in the country, withdrawal of the 13-point roster and reinstatement of the 200-point roster. The bandh was made successful with special care not to obstruct students appearing for the Matric and Inter exams. RYA Vice President Sonu Pandey thanked Sariya Bazaar merchants and shopkeepers for responding to the bandh call at short notice. CPIML and its people’s organizations blocked roads and organized protest marches and meetings in Bagodar at GT Road, Birni, Rajdhanwar, Jamua, Devri, Gawan, Tisri, Bengabad, Gandeya, Giridih, Sadar and other places.

Party activists came out on the streets in support of the bandh at Barwadih in Latehar District. The police arrested 41 people who were released in the evening. Hundreds of people at Manika blocked the streets and were arrested by the police. A dozen people along with ML leader Gopal Ji were arrested at Latehar. Benjamin Kujur and Latif Ansari led the bandh programs at Mahuadar. The bandh was peaceful and successful at most places.

The bandh at Barkattha (Hazaribagh) was led by State Committee member Bhuvaneshwar Kewat, Block Secretary Sher Mohammed and other activists. Roads were blocked, obstructing traffic for hours. A march was organized at Domchanch, after which a meeting presided over by Bhagirath Singh was held at the Taxi Stand. Hundreds of people participated in the march. The bazaar at Jhumritalaiyya remained shut and roads were blocked under the bandh. Activists came out on the streets in support of the bandh at many places in Garhwa, Ramgarh and Dhanbad Districts.

Uttar Pradesh

The CPIML came out on the streets at various places. AIARLA had called for protests at Block HQs on the same day on issues of housing, land, health, and education for the poor.

AISA activists, teachers and students organized a march from Lucknow University to JP Chowk at Lucknow. Addressing the meeting at JP Chowk, AISA State Secretary Shiva Rajwar said that the ruling dispensation is trying to divert attention from the issues of education, employment, social justice, Rafale and corruption through jingoism and warmongering. The people must demand answers from the government on these important issues. The speakers demanded the withdrawal of the 13-point roster and an ordinance for the reinstatement of the 200-point roster.

CPIML, AIPWA and Construction Workers Union organized a dharna protest at Lucknow Sadar Tehsil HQs on the issue of housing for workers, hutment dwellers and the poor. A 10-point memorandum was submitted to the President through the DM.
A march was organized at Allahabad from Ambedkar Statue to Subhash Chowk. Hundreds of people including Ambedkar-Periyar Study Circle convener Mata Prasad Pal and Ambedkar Ekta Manch convener Ram Singh attended the march and later joined the joint rally organized by all organizations.

A protest march and meeting were held at Faizabad (Ayodhya) addressed by comrades Atiq Ahmed, Akhilesh Chaturvedi, Sahodara Chauhan, Nand Kumar, Umakant Vishwakarma, Pappu Sonkar and others. The speakers raised the issue of housing for the landless and eviction of the poor, and said that democracy has been put on hold in the city in the name of Section 144. A 11-point memorandum was submitted to the DM. Protests and meetings in support of the Bharat bandh were also organized at Ghazipur city, Jamaniya Tehsil, and Saidpur. AIARLA held a dharna protest at Hargaon in Sitapur and raised the issue of justice for women Rasoiyas, rising gas cylinder prices, MNREGA budget cut, and non-implementation of the Forest Rights Act. A 7-point memorandum was submitted to the President through the BDO. Protests and meetings were also held at Lakhimpur Kheeri, Banaras, Bhadohi, Mau, Kushinagar, Maharajganj, Pilibhit and other Districts.

In Delhi, CPIML and AISA joined several events and programmes demanding restoration of 200 point roster. On 5 March, a massive protest was organized at the Parliament Street. Addressing the protestors AISA national president Sucheta De said that the current BJP led government has through its leaders at various junctures shown its scant respect for the Constitution of the country. With the 13 point roster getting imposed along with 10 percent reservation being ensured for the upper caste, the government had proven itself to be anti-reservation and against the values of the Constitution.