Report

More than 200 hours have passed since 41 workers were trapped hundreds of feet below the surface following a part of under-construction Silkyara-Barkot tunnel in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district collapsed on November 12. The 4.5 km long planned tunnel is part of the controversial Rs. 1200 crore Char Dham Highway project in the fragile Himalayan region.

The recent All India Agricultural Rural Labour Association (AIARLA) in a statement noted that the Socio-Economic report of caste survey presents an alarming picture of poverty in Bihar, National President and MLA of AIARLA Satyadev Ram, National General Secretary Dhirendra Jha, State President and MLA Virendra Gupta, State President and MLA Manoj Manzil and State Secretary Shatrughan Sahni said that the Mahagathbandhan government should prepare a detailed action plan to take Bihar out of the vicious cycle of poverty.

Raising serious concern on the language used by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar in the Assembly while commenting on women’s education and population control,  AIPWA in a statement on November 8 said that incident has given rise to an uncomfortable situation.

Protest marches and demonstration were organised across the country from November 7 to 10, 2023, as part of the three day united call given by CPI(ML) and other left parties. On November 8, a massive march was taken out from Mahajati Sadan by the left parties in Kolkata. The march witnessed thousands rallying against the on-going Israel’s genocidal war on the people of Gaza and called for immidiate ceasefire.

A massive protest rally against loot, arbitrary recoveries and harassment of poor by microfinance companies in the state was organized by Mazdoor Mukti Morcha and CPI (ML) in Fatehgarh Chudi Mandi in Gurdaspur district on November 6, 2023. Addressing the rally, Com. Gurmeet Singh said that in the rising unemployment has pushed people into the debt trap and microfinance companies are exploiting the people by charging exorbitant interest rate. There are arbitrary high file charges and deduction of the first installment at time of loan disbursement.

Comrade Vasudev Tanti from Badhi Sir village falling under Chanan block, Lakhisarai in Bihar was closely associated with the party from 1980s. He passed way on November 6 due to age related issues. 

On November 5, the 7th Bihar State Conference of All India Agricultural Rural Labour Association (AIARLA) was organised in Bettiah, Champaran with a massive anti-war rally calling for an end to Israel’s genocidal War against Palestinians. The rally from the Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar statue to conference auditorium witnessed participations of thousands of rural workers and locals called for an immediate ceasefire. 

As part of the four-day (November 7-10, 2023) joint Left call demanding immediate cease-fire in Gaza and asking the Modi government not to endorse the US-Israel genocidal campaign which has already killed more than 10,000 Palestinians, at least 4,000 of them children and 2,000 women, a public meeting in solidarity with Palestine was held today at HKS Surjeet Bhawan, Delhi. The Palestinian Ambassador to India also addressed the meeting along with leaders of the Left parties.

On October 30, under the banner of Footpath Vendors' Sanyukt [United] Sangharsh morcha, a protest was march organised to Patna Municipal Corporation headquarters against the rampant eviction of vendors from the city in the name of smart city, metro project and beautification.

Hundreds of Rasoiya Workers (Kitchen Workers under Mid Day Meal Scheme) under the banner of Bihar State School Rasoiya Association (affiliated to AICCTU) and other unions embarked on a protest march in Patna, Bihar on October 31 for their working class rights. Com. Saroj Choubey General Secretary of Rasoiya Association, we demand that the Bihar government should immediately take steps to address the demands of the  Rasoiya, who have been working for years on pittance.