The CPI (ML) had called for a campaign from 23 March (Bhagat Singh’s martyrdom day) to 14 April (Ambedkar Jayanti) against the increasing dangers of communal fascism, widespread attacks on dalits and minorities, exclusion of the poor and marginalized from the fields of education and employment, suppression of dissent and attempts to impose the Hindutva agenda in the country under the Modi government regime. At the conclusion of this campaign the 126th anniversary of Ambedkar Jayanti was observed on 14 April 2017 across the country and it was resolved to work towards the building of the India of Ambedkar’s dreams—a modern democratic India.
BIHAR: Ambedkar Jayanti was organized in various districts of Bihar. It was observed as ‘Sankalp Diwas’ in Patna district. A total of 34 symposiums were held at the district level in Masaurhi, Fatuha, Sampatchak, Badh and Belchhi, and in a decentralized form at Dhanrua, Naubatpur, Daniyawan, Phulwari Sharif, Bihata, Maner and Punpun blocks. Party General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya’s speech given at the State conference in Sasaram was read out at these symposiums and it was resolved to strengthen the organization in order to fight against communalism and attacks on dalits and minorities and for land rights. In Patna city meetings were organized at Chitkohra, Ashiyana, Kankarbag Buddha statue and other places. A large number of people attended the programmes.
Sankalp marches and meetings were organized at Bhagalpur and Beguserai. The speakers particularly pointed the hypocrisy of the BJP and the ruling classes in trying to hijack the legacy of Ambedkar by garlanding and praising him but all the while acting against everything that Ambedkar stood for. On the one hand Modi calls Ambedkar, who fought against untouchability and casteism all his life, “a modern Manu” while on the other hand Nitish Kumar is oppressing dalits, farmers, workers, and students and jailing and even killing CPI (ML) activists who fight for the rights of the poor. It was resolved at the meetings to walk on the paths shown by Bhagat Singh and Ambedkar to build a modern democratic India.
UTTAR PRADESH: The CPI (ML), AISA and RYA organized Ambedkar Jayanti in Bisahi village (Lakhimpur Kheeri). A rally was taken out in the morning followed by a meeting in which speakers stressed Ambedkar’s call to educate, agitate, and organize, and to annihilate caste. They pointed out that the present government’s greatest attack is on education, and everything is being done to exclude dalits, poor, minorities and weaker sections from education. They resolved to carry forward Ambedkar’s fight for social justice.
A symposium was held in Azamgarh to observe Ambedkar Jayanti and Rahul Sankrityayan’s anniversary. Both leaders had dedicated their lives to the annihilation of caste and to social democracy, and we must implement their ideas to fight the present Hindutva-fascist politics.
A campaign for ‘Utho Mere Desh Naye Bharat ke vaaste, Bhagat Singh Ambedkar ke Raaste’ was held in Hargaon block, Sitapur district (Uttar Pradesh) from 23 March to 14 April 2017. Meetings were organized in 5 Gram Sabhas in which people participated in large numbers and bought and read the ‘Utho Mere Desh’ booklet. On 14 April Ambedkar Jayanti was observed in village Rikhipurva. People from the village including children took part enthusiastically in a morning procession after which kheer and puris were distributed. A meeting was held in the evening addressed by District Secretary Com Arjun Lal and other leaders. The speakers said that the rise of communal forces to power in the country has put democracy and the Constitution in grave danger and dalits, minorities, and weaker sections are being openly targeted by the Modi government at the Centre and the Yogi government in the State. Com Sarojini said that the government is playing the politics of communal hatred; Com Archana said that the Modi government is destroying the future of students with fee hikes and seat cuts. Com Ramratan pointed out that the ban on slaughterhouses and the meat and fish industries has snatched away the livelihoods of crores of workers. The meeting concluded with the staging of a play, ‘Sukhiya Mar Gaya Bhook Se’ and a revolutionary song sung by Ramautar Dehati.
JHARKHAND: The CPI (ML) organized a march for justice starting from the Jamua block Party office and culminating in a meeting at Budh Vihar (Kandjor) at Baba Saheb’s statue. Ashok Paswan and other speakers at the meeting pledged that justice-loving people would never allow the RSS-BJP to succeed in their agenda of killing democracy and establishing fascism in the country. They said that the attacks on dalits and adivasis have increased alarmingly after the BJP victory in UP, and the pro-corporate Hindutva fascist agenda is being taken forward with a vengeance. Dalits, adivasis, minorities, farmers, workers and weaker sections are being continuously targeted and we must unite to fight this agenda and save democracy by walking on the road shown by Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh.
AISA-RYA organized a block level symposium in Birni (Giridih) on the topic, “The Current Political Scenario and Ambedkar’s Thoughts”. Speaking at the symposium Com Sandeep Jaiswal and other speakers said that dalit students, farmers, and workers are being attacked and their rights snatched by the Central and State governments. This can be fought only by following Baba Saheb’s path, and AISA-RYA are taking forward the ‘Utho Mere Desh Bhagat Singh Ambedkar ke Raste’ campaign for this purpose. The government is reducing Ambedkar to an object of mere ‘worship’ and garlanding, while going against Babasaheb’s basic tenets, which were to fight against feudalism, Brahminism and fascism to make social dignity and justice an inalienable right of the dalits and adivasis and to provide a foundation for the building of a new India. The symposium was attended by hundreds of students and youth.
CPI (ML) paid tribute to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in Giridih city to mark his 126th Jayanti and said that Ambedkar’s ideas are more relevant than ever today because of the growing attacks on the Constitutional rights of the poor and marginalized sections of the country.
