AISA and RYA organized an Akrosh March and gherao-ed the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to protest on the issues of non-fulfilment of promises, pro-corporate communal forces, dignified employment, unemployment allowance, effective youth policy, affordable quality education, and affordable electricity, on 22 January2014.
RYA and AISA went back to the 30,000 youth who had earlier signed a petition demanding an effective Youth Policy and mobilized them along with those demanding electricity, as well as TET-STET passed candidates and they agitated for their demands under a joint banner.
The 22January protest was a corollary to the ongoing Jansamwad Yatra in Bihar and anger was expressed by students and youth on education, employment, health, electricity and other issues.
TET-STET Passed Candidates Association demanded jobs for the successful candidates without delay, and permanent and dignified employment for youth. On the eve of 22 January the government agreed to set up a camp and hand out the due appointment letters. The agitation to demand a student-teacher ratio of 30:1will continue.
The All India Railway Vendors and Hawkers Association said that through the efforts of RYA, the 40 year od practice of commission has been ended in Patna-Gaya rail sector and they have been freed from the vicious cycle of abuse and oppression by GRP and RPF. Further agitation will continue for legal status, id cards and security for vendors and hawkers.
The Rasoiya Parivar Kalyan Sangh and midday meal workers are demanding a minimum honorarium of Rs. 10,000, along with Class IV Government employee status and transparency in selection process. The All India Sports Players Association and judo and karate martial arts players have demanded a place in the youth policy and jobs as teachers in schools and colleges.
The RYA demanded 24 hour affordable electricity in every village household, repair of faulty transformers, poles and wires, and protested at electricity offices in Nalanda, Siwan, Jehanabad, Samastipur, Patna, Champaran, Darbhanga, Bhojpur,Gopalganj, Arwal and other places. They also demanded that false and incorrect electricity bills should be withdrawn.
A march was organized Gandhi Maidan in Patna to agitate for all the above demands, led by Amarjit Kushwaha, Raju Yadav, Naveen Kumar, Rinki, Ajit Kushwaha, Abhyuday, Kesar Nehal, Sudhir, Divya Gautam, Dhiraj, Markandeya Pathak, Anil Rai, Kunal, Jyoti and others. A 4 member delegation met the Bihar Home Secretary and submitted a 17 point petition of demands. Addressing the meeting, Party General Secretary Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya appealed to students and youth to put education, employment, electricity, health and other peoples’ issues on the election agenda and exhorted them to throw out worthless governments and electpro=people governments. He said that due to the people’s agitation, governments had been forced to back down to a certain extent from their pro-corporate and anti-people policies. He criticized the Kejriwal government’s proposal to reserve 90% seats in Delhi University as being a conspiracy to break student unity. He called upon the youth to put pressure on the Nitish government to fulfil his promise to guarantee 24 hour electricity supply and to give 100units free to the poor, to give dignified employment and to ensure unemployment allowance. He stressed that fair wages should be paid to railway hawkers, vendors, midday meal workers and Asha – Anganwadi workers.
The following demands were made at the Akrosh Sabha:
ReleaseState Joint Secretary Manoj Manzil immediately.
Withdrawfalse case against AISA State President Rinki.
Regularizeall contractual workers.
WithdrawPrivate University Act and implement equal education in schools.
Implement30:1 student teacher ratio and appoint TET-STET passed candidates immediately.
Guarantee24 hour electricity in every village household.
Provide“50 Unit Maaf, 100 Unit Half†electricity. With draw false bills.
Fillvacant teachers-workers posts without delay.
Stoppolice repression on student-youth protests. Release all jailed studentswithout delay.
Withdrawall false cases against student-youth leaders.
Holdstudent union elections without delay in all Universities.
EstablishAligarh Muslim University branch without delay.
Stopinterference with reservation rules in Bihar PSC.
Stopthe business of loot in the name of Vocational Courses.
ProvideID cards, legal status, and security to railway vendors.
Announceminimum honorarium of Rs 1000 and Class IV employee status for midday mealworkers.
Stopthe state-sponsored promotion of liquor
