A concerted struggle has been on for the past 7 months under the banner of Bihar Rajya Vidyalaya Rasoiya Sangh for a 17 point charter of demands including the declaration of rasoiyas as govt employees, Rs 15,000 per month honorarium, and guarantee of safety and dignity. A protest in front of the CM on 31 March also did not yield any positive response. On 27 July Nitish Kumar announced that other than tola sewak and kisan salahkar, a grant of Rs 4 lakhs would be paid in case of death of any honorarium worker during tenure of service. This is a cruel joke on honorarium workers as they have neither appointment letter nor, in most cases, is their signature taken anywhere. So with what evidence can the families claim this grant for death-in-service? This announcement is nothing but an electoral carrot; realizing this, they took part in large numbers in the 5-6-7 August strike.
In Siwan around 2,000 rasoiyas took part in a rail chakka jam. The administration has registered cases under several sections against leaders Sohila Gupta and Manjeeta Kaur. Earlier, protests were held in 11 blocks on 5 August and in 3 blocks on 6 August and effigies of Modi and Nitish were burnt. 1,500 rasoiyas protested in front of the Collectorate in East Champaran and held a meeting inside the gates of the Collectorate. On the 2nd and 3rd days protests were held in front of education officers and in all 27 blocks. Earlier a protest had been held on 24 July and a memorandum submitted to PM Modi.
In Nalanda, after an earlier protest on 24 July and a cadre convention on 2 August, Protests were held on 5 August in front of the Collector, on 6 August in front of Education officers, and on 7 August in all blocks. Rallies were taken out on 5 and 6 August. In Muzafffarpur a protest was held at the Collectorate on 24 July. On 5 and 6 August protests and dharnas were held in the blocks. Rasoiyas were gathering in large numbers, and as a result on 7 August. the protests were joined in by rasoiyas and small organizations from areas where the Party is not so active. In Jehanabad, in which 500 women participated, protest was held on 5 August in front of midday meal authorities. An 800 strong Akrosh march was taken out on 6 August and PM Modi’s effigy was burnt on the 3rd day when maximum numbers were present. Block committees of the Rasoiya Sangh are now being constituted.
Protests were held in all 10 blocks of Jamui district by over 500 rasoiyas. In Arwal protests were held on 7 August in which 500 rasoiyas participated. They protested at the Collectorate. Protests were also held at Nawada, Roh, Darbhanga, and Samastipur. Protests in Bhojpur took place on 5 August in front of the Collectorate in which 150 women took part. On 7 August protests were held at Udwantnagar, Jagdishpur and Shahpur block offices.
It was decided to organize protests daily at Kargil chowk in Patna, but the administration did not give permission for this. There was a curfew-like atmosphere in Patna, despite which a rally was taken out on 6 August from Buddha Park which culminated in a meeting at Kargil chowk. Marches and meetings were held on 6-7 August also. Protests and effigy burning of Modi and Nitish were held in fatuha block of Patna rural on 6 August and a road jam was organized on 7 August. Protests and effigy burnings were also organized in Masaurhi, Dhanrua, Bihata, Maner, and Paliganj.
This hartal once again showed the great dissatisfaction and anger amongst the rasoiyas who responded voluntarily to the call for the bandh. The hartal declared 8-9-10 August. to be observed as “Black Day” to protest against the indifference of the govt and the oppression unleashed on those agitating for their rights. Further preparations are on for bigger agitations.
