All India General Strike a Resounding Success in All States
THE countrywide Bharat Bandh on 8 January 2020 called by central trade unions, agrarian workers and farmers’ organizations, was a resounding success in all parts of Bihar including capital Patna. CPIML and other Left parties came out on the streets in support of the strike and expressed their solidarity with the working class.
A massive rally was organized from Gandhi Maidan in Patna which culminated in a meeting at Dakbangla Chowk. The Revolutionary Youth Association marched on the streets and demanded a National Register for the Unemployed and scrapping of CAA.
AISA and other student organizations had announced a students’ strike in Patna which was which got a huge response despite brutal repression by the administration. Two student activists at the College of Commerce were arrested and false cases slapped on them, but they were later released due to the pressure of the general strike put on the administration. The RPF arrested and slapped false cases on AISA State President Mukhtar and AISF State Secretary Sushil Kumar, whereas this area does not come under the Railways in any way. The police also brutally lathi charged the students seriously injuring AISA leader Akash Kashyap. CPIML State Secretary Kunal condemned this saying that this is a peaceful people’s protest and cannot be crushed through repression and brutality. In Kaimur District also, BJP supporters tried unsuccessfully to disturb the rally held in support of the countrywide strike.
The meeting at Dakbangla Chowk in Patna was presided over by CIYU leader Ganesh Shankar Singh. The meeting was addressed by Dhirendra Jha, Shashi Yadav, Saroj Chaube, Ranvijay Kumar and leaders from other organizations including the State Secretaries of CPI and CPM. Dhirendra Jha said that this fight is People vs. BJP, Constitution vs. Manusmriti; it is a fight against fascism and anti-worker, anti-farmer policies. Instead of addressing the dismal economic recession, this government is attacking the rights of workers through amendments in the Labor Laws. Kisan Sabha leader Shivsagar Sharma said that Home Minister Amit Shah must resign after the attacks on JNU which were obviously at his behest. ASHA leader Shashi Yadav and Rasoiya leader Saroj Chaube pointed out the betrayal of scheme workers by the Central and State governments; they said that not paying minimum wages to ASHAs and Rasoiyas is illegal and a violation of labor laws. Earlier, the Rasoiya Sangh and All India Scheme Workers Federation had organized a rally from Buddha Smriti Park which was attended in large numbers by scheme workers. Workers in many companies joined the strike led by AICCTU leader Ranvijay Kumar. The strike was effective in bank, insurance and other sectors also.
At Jehanabad CPIML activists held a march from Jehanabad Station to Kargil Chowk. Marches were organized at Block HQs and Chatti Bazaars in Gaya District. Farmers joined the Bandh in Patna Rural under the banner of All India Kisan Mahasabha. CPIML activists also came out on the streets in support of the countrywide strike at Gaya, Ara, Arwal, Siwan, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Purnea, Nalanda, Nawada, Gopalganj, Katihar and many other places.
Protest marches were organized at 8 Block HQs in Patna District, responding to the call by All India Kisan Sangharsh samanvay Samiti and raising slogans of ‘Save Fields, Save Farmers; Save Villages, Save the Country’ and ‘Down with Corporate Loot Raj’. Thousands of workers and farmers put aside their work and came out on the streets for the success of the bandh.
Addressing the meeting at Naubatpur District Secretary Kripa Narayan Singh said that this bandh is against the destructive anti-farmer and anti-worker policies of the Central government. On the one hand the police is unleashing brutal attacks on students and teachers inside Universities like Jamia, JNU and AMU; on the other hand, Bajrang Dal, ABVP and Sanghi goons are attacking peaceful protesters with lathis and rods. He pointed out the heinous killing of 17 year old Amir Hanzla in Aurangabad as an example of this. He said that Modi-Shah want to crush voices of dissent, but the more they repress and suppress, the louder and clearer the protest will become. The leaders demanded to pass a Land Conservation Act in Parliament; loan waiver and 1 ½ times purchase price for farmers’ crops; Rs 5000 monthly pension for farmers and sharecroppers above the age of 60; immediate withdrawal of anti-people, anti-Constitution CAA-NRC-NPR; construction of Kadvan Dam and modernization of Son Canal.
The farmers’ march in Mansa, Punjab was led by AIKMS National President Ruldu Singh, National Executive member Gurnam Singh and other leaders. The Mansa Bazaar remained fully closed. Farmers in several villages put aside their work in the fields and joined the bandh in large numbers. Farmers came out on the streets in support of the bandh in dozens of Districts in Punjab.
The AIKMS organized a protest march led by National Secretary Puran Mahto in Bagodar, Giridih against the forcible acquisition of farmers’ lands for the construction of the 6-lane highway. Protest marches were organized in many Districts of Haryana led by 19 farmers’ organizations including AIKMS National Vice President Prem Singh Gehlawat. Protests were also organized under the leadership of All India Kisan Sangharsh Samanvay Samiti in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Assam, Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and other States to make the rural Bharat Bandh a resounding success.
Activists of CPIML, people’s organizations and trade unions came out on the streets in Uttar Pradesh despite administrative bans and governmental threats and contributed to the strike call with their participation. Activists and workers marched together under the AICCTU banner in Lucknow. The march reached the Northern Railway workers’ union office where it culminated in a mass meeting, joined by workers from other trade unions. The meeting was addressed by AICCTU leaders Madhusudan Magan and Surendra Prasad, Construction Union leader Naumilal, CPIML leaders Ramesh Sengar and Radheshyam Maurya, and leaders from other Left parties and organizations. AIPWA, AISA, and Lucknow SGPGI Nursing Staff Association also participated in the march and the meeting.
Protest marches and meetings were also held at Ballia, Ghazipur, Sonbhadra, and Mirzapur. The bandh at these places was led by left parties including CPIML. They were joined by Kisan Sangharsh Samanvay Samitai, AIARLA, and Kisan Mahasabha. In Kanpur AICCTU organized a rally in the Dadanagar-Panki Industrial Area which was attended in large numbers by women workers. The bandh was also effective in Phulpur, Allahabad where IFCO Phulpur Coontract Workers Union affiliated to AICCTU held a meeting at Gate No. 2 of the fertilizer factory. Speakers addressing the meeting condemned the anti-worker policies of the government and the state-sponsored violence on students across campuses. Meetings organized by Left parties were also held at other places in Allahabad city.
Protest marches and meetings were organized in other towns of UP including Varanasi, Moradabad, Mathura, Rae Bareli, Lakhimpur Kheeri, Sitapur, Azamgarh, Devaria, Kushinagar, Gorakhpur, Mau, Chandoli, Pilibhit, Bhadohi and Gonda. Memorandums addressed to the President were submitted to the administration at these places.
