Where are the Promised Jobs? Don’t Divert Jharkhand with Language Disputes
AISA-RYA organized a state-wide campaign across Jharkhand on 10 February against the Hemant Soren government’s betrayal of its promise on the issue of making the correct domicile policy and providing jobs to the youth of Jharkhand. Large numbers of students and youth organized protest marches and meetings in the capital Ranchi as well as in many areas in Districts including Bundu, Ramgarh, Gomia, Chandankiari, Dhanbad, Hazaribagh, Deoghar, Koderma, Palamu, Garhwa and Giridih Sadar, Bagodar, Dhanwar and Jamua.
It should be noted that these days the entire state is being involved in a language dispute with some political parties and their supporting social forces organizing protest movements on the streets. This issue has gained a lot of momentum only after the Hemant Soren government announced the grant of local and regional language status to non-Jharkhandi languages in Dhanbad and Bokaro under the state planning policy.
In the above contexts, the CPIML General Secretary, who had visited Jharkhand recently, has also intervened on this issue and said through the media that the party disagrees with the Hemant government's decision. When the youth of the state are protesting on the streets on such a large scale, the government should heed them without delay. The government must first of all ensure the correct domicile policy and jobs for the youth of the state. This implementation of the government’s promise is still pending.
Addressing the protest meeting on 10 February in front of Raj Bhavan, Central Committee member and CPIML MLA Comrade Vinod Singh said that the Hemant government should withdraw the existing language based planning policy. An all-party meeting should be convened and the correct domicile and language policies for Jharkhand should be decided. The government should talk to the agitating youth at the earliest and find a solution to the issue. Clarifying the party stand on the issue, he said that CPIML is in favour of making a domicile policy based either on the ‘Khatian’ of 1932 or the latest land survey in the state. We also demand the formulation of a planning policy based on this domicile policy. Charging the Hemant government, he also said that ever since this government came to power CPIML has been demanding the withdrawal of the domicile and language policies of the previous Raghuvar Das government. But the Hemant government does not appear to be serious about this. No government can breathe easy in the state by neglecting the youth of Jharkhand. He also accused the Hemant government of giving an opportunity to divisive anti-Jharkhand forces like the BJP to gain political mileage through its neglectful attitude. It should be noted that in many previous Assembly sessions the CPIML MLA raised the demand for withdrawal of the current domicile-planning policy several times, but the Hemant government has refused to do so.
The CPIML Jharkhand State Secretary Manoj Bhakt said that the Hemant government should understand the anger of the youth of the state and take prompt steps to formulate the right domicile policy and resolve the unemployment problem in the state.
Under the state-wide campaign students and youth organized marches and meetings across the state asking the Hemant Soren government: Where are the promised jobs? Don’t divert us by entangling the state in a language dispute.
There are two major trends regarding the present language based agitation. The AJSU-BJP-backed forces want to confine the question to ruling class polarization by laying extra emphasis on language. On the other hand, CPIML stresses the need for domicile-based planning. The struggle for employment needs to be seen as an important part of this where the role of both the Modi and the Hemant governments is questionable. The AJSU-BJP-backed forces never criticize the Modi government or the earlier Raghuvar government.
