Ramgarh is a district town in Jharkhand with a population of about 45 thousand that has been divided into 8 wards. Dozens of tribal and dalit villages have been included in the Ramagrah Camp council. However, nearly 67 years after the independence, the people residing here remain deprived of basic facilities such as education, health, roads, accommodation, and pension schemes for old, widows and the physically challenged. Several areas in the villages have been declared as ‘restricted areas’ as a result of which the villagers cannot build pakka houses. People residing in the Ramgarh camp are required to travel to Patratu block to get caste and domicile certificates and also for the payment of land revenue. However, when it comes to the development of the people, authorities of both the zones shirk of their responsibility claiming that it is the responsibility of the other. When any funds for development are received, the administration head who is a Brigadier, distributes it among army personnel. CPI(ML) has been waging a long struggle over the issues of the villagers and the willfulness of the army. In the elections for ward numbers 1 and 7 of the Ramgarh Camp Council on 17 May, Com. Manita Devi and Com. Prabhu Karmaali fought elections as CPI(ML) candidates. In ward number 7, Com. Prabhu Karmaali received 1043 votes, defeating his nearest rival by 193 votes. An active member of the CPI(ML) since 1982, Com. Karmaali has been active in several struggles fought over people’s issues. Despite the attempts by competitors to spread misinformation about the party, the party is committed to bring together the poor workers, farmers, dalits and adivasis and carry forward struggles on their issues.
