Over 50,000 poor across Bihar held vigorous agitations under the banner of the All India Agricultural and Rural Labourers’ Association (AIARLA) at about 184 zonal offices on 16 April on the issues of agricultural land, sharecroppers’ rights, parchas for residential land under the PP Act, and other demands. Protests were held at Bhojpur, Patna rural, Jehanabad, Siwan, Arwal, Aurangabad, Rohtas, Buxar, Beguserai, Navada, Darbhanga, Nalanda, West Champaran and in several other districts. At some places in Bhojpur, zonal offices were under complete lock-out. The agitations were led by Com. Dhirendra Jha, Com. Rameshwar Prasad, and other senior Party leaders.
CPI(ML) and AIARLA leaders addressing the meetings said that Dalits, Mahadalits, and the poor in Bihar have been agitating for a long time on the issues of housing, and agricultural land, and has been neglected by both the Modi and the Nitish governments. Even though Nitish and Manjhi during their respective stints made several promises, nothing has happened on ground. A baansgeet policy had been promised to ensure benefits even for the urban poor. However, the reality is that far from getting land, even those who for years have been in possession of land that was acquired and legalized, are now being evicted from their land.
The speakers pointed out that though Lalu-Rabri and Nitish pretended to be well-wishers of the poor, they actually stood firmly with the rich landlords and land mafia. They have been silent on issues relating to justice, dignity, and development of the poor, such as reinstatement of the Amir Das Commission and implementation of land reform commission recommendations. The pro-feudal and anti-poor, anti-dalit character of the BJP is also crystal clear, and they are equally culpable in the suppression of the Amir Das Commission and the land reform recommendations. The leaders pointed out that even though on one hand Nitish is hypocritically opposing Modi’s Land Ordinance, he himself has acquired land from farmers without their consent in Bhagalpur, Bhojpur, Patna, Beguserai and other districts. The CPI(ML) and AIARLA asserted that the agitation for the land rights of the poor would continue till justice is done.
