Even as entire Jharkhand has been severely affected by the drought, the BJP government headed by Raghuvar Das has so far shown no steps towards addressing those affected by the drought. As starvation, unemployment and forced migration continues to increase, the government apathy shows no signs of ending. In view of the severe drought conditions affecting the entire state of the Jharkhand, CPI(ML) organized a series of protests in several districts across Jharkhand demanding that Jharkhand be declared a drought area.
On 19 September, the CPI(ML)’s Ranchi city committee organized a march, followed by a meeting to protest against Jharkhand not being declared a drought area and giving a call to observe a state-wide protest day against the increase in petrol prices. During the entire march, slogans were raised demanding- “Declare Jharkhand a drought area”, “Start relief work”, “Guarantee 200 days’ work under MNREGA”, “Roll back increase in petrol price” and “Pass employment guarantee law for urban poor”. Addressing the meeting, Bhuvaneshwar Kewat, district secretary, said that despite continuous fall in prices of crude oil in the international market, the people of Jharkhand have received no relief; rather, they are burdened with increased petrol price and spiraling cost of living. The government is oppressing the people with more and higher taxes. People from villages across the State are being forced to migrate because of the government’s failure to declare Jharkhand drought-affected despite continuous drought conditions and failure of maize and paddy crops.
Protests were also organized in other districts including- Garhwa, Palamu, Latehar, Lohardaga, Gumla, Giridih, Ramgarh, Dhanbad, and Jamtara under CPI(ML) and AIPF banners. In Dhanbad, about 100 farmers sat in dharna at fertilizer factory gate on 21 September, protesting the management’s illegal takeover of farmers’ lands, and demanding long pending compensation for land by the factory. In several districts memorandums were submitted to the Chief Minister through the local DMs.
CPI(ML) leaders warned that if the state of apathy continued, the agitation would be strengthened in days to come.
