On 23 March 2016, the martyrdom day of Com. Bhagat Singh, AISA and RYA launched the campaign ‘Utho Mere Desh: Naye Bharat Ke Waastey, Bhagat Singh Ke Raaste’ in New Delhi. As a part of this campaign, conventions and other events were organised this week in several parts of the country.
AISA Convention on “Nation, Nationalism and Patriotism” in Madurai
AISA unit of Madurai Kamaraj University organized a convention on 25th of March on ‘Nation, Nationalism and Patriotism’. It was presided over by Com. Pandiarajan of AISA. The list of speakers included Prof. Vivekanandan, Vice President of AIFUCTO, Mr. Murali Ex. Principal of Madurai college and also state campaign committee member of AIPF, Com. Kumarasamy, state secretary of CPI(ML), Com Shehla Rashid Shora, Vice President of JNUSU and Com. Sucheda De, National President of AISA. The convention was attended by Left and progressive students and Youths of Madurai and neighboring districts.
Com. Shehla spoke at length on the issue of branding students fighting for democracy as anti-nationals by the ruling establishment. She said that the ruling BJP government wanted to cover its inability to overcome economic crisis by using intimidation as a tool to silence fighting students. They had resorted to manipulation of video clippings and opened fake twitter accounts to foister cases against students of JNU. Sangh parivar wanted to narrow down India into a single identity. However, even as they claimed to stand for uniformity, why did they want the society to remain divided into varnas and castes? She said that nationalism meant encouraging love for the people of the nation and not manufacturing hatred. We, students stand for the unity, rights and dignity of the people.
Com. Sucheta De said that it was because of the democratic and egalitarian space created by the left politics in JNU that there were no barriers to student activism. The students had strived to follow Dr. Ambedkar’s call for annihilation of caste. She added that the student community should stand for democracy and for annihilation of caste. They must also stand to defend in solidarity with Pricol workers in their fight for their rights. The students must steadfastly oppose the WTO dictates in education. She said this anti-people, communal and fascist Government will be charge-sheeted in the peoples’ court and declared guilty.
Com Kumarasamy, accused the BJP of trying to equate nation with the Modi government. He condemned the killings of dalits by castiest forces in the case of inter caste marriages and called for a vibrant democratic movement for annihilation of castes.
A booklet on the struggles of AISA was also released on the occasion and convention demanded the repeal of British era sedition law.
Rallies and seminars in Jharkhand
On 23 March 2016 big rallies were taken out in Topa and Ghutua of Ramgarh district in Jharkhand, organized by AISA, RYA, and CPI(ML) activists. The marches were taken out from Railway Colony and Ghutua Bazaar respectively. Folders were distributed at the rallies and a seminar was held at Ghutua. These rallies marked the beginning of the widespread campaign to be conducted under the banners of AISA and RYA between 23 March and 14 April 2016. Subsequently, once again on 28 March another march was taken out from Railway Colony, Topa, with greater mobilization, led by CPI(ML) leaders comrades Ashok Gupta, Ram Singh Marandi, and others. In Jhumri Tilaiya of Koderma district, students and youth from various regions were mobilized and the AISA district committee was formed. On 23 March a Student-Youth convention was organized by the newly constituted AISA district committee under the banners of AISA and RYA, addressed by CPI(ML) district Secretary Mohan Datta and Koderma district committee members. It was resolved at the convention to conduct the ‘Utho Mere Desh Naye Bharat ke Vaaste Bhagat Singh Ambedkar ke Raaste’ widely through all the regions in the district.
Ex JNUSU President comrade Ashutosh, Vice President Anant and AISA leader Niraj also participated in several public meetings. In several instances the state administration tried to create problems by cancelling permissions last minutes. In Deoghar, the state police watched silently as ABVP goons threw stones and engaged in violence against AISA and RYA activists. Com. Ashutosh was also hurt but comrades continued with the programme. Speaking later, Ashutosh said that from Delhi, to Hyderabad to Bihar and Jharkhand, everytime Babasaheb Ambedkar and Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s names are mentioned, the sangh brigade gets agitated. They do not realise that they cannot kill ideas. We will rise from the ashes, each time they try to put us down.
Convention in Karnal (Haryana)
A convention on the theme of the campaign was also organised in Karnal on 3 April. Omprasad, National Secretary of RYA and AISA activist Geeta, spoke during the convention. Prem Singh Gahlawat, Haryana state incharge of CPI(ML) was also present in the convention.
In the coming days AISA and RYA activists will continue spreading the campaign in different parts of the country. The campaign will continue till 14 April 2016, birth anniversary of Dr. Ambedkar.
