BIHAR
AISA-RYA activists have been taking out the Bhagat Singh-Ambedkar sangarsh yatra in several towns and villages of Bihar, raising the slogans of ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ and ‘Educate, Agitate and Organize’. The response of the people has been tremendous. RYA Bihar President Com. Raju Yadav, AISA National Jt. Sec. Com. Ajit Kushwaha and AISA leader and ex JNUSU Gen Sec. Com. Chintu have led several of these yatras which will culminate in Ara on 14 April.
In Patna, a student-youth Assembly was organized under the AISA-RYA campaign ‘Uttho Mere Desh’on 31 March to mark the martyrdom anniversary of Com. Chandrashekhar. The chief speakers on the occasion were- CPI (ML) General Secretary Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya, JNUSU Vice President Com. Shehla Rashid, JSM General Secretary Com. Pranay Krishna, PB member Com. Dhirendra Jha, Kisan Mahasabha General Secretary Com. Rajaram Singh, and others. The programme was attended in huge numbers by students, youth, activists, and intellectuals.
Addressing the assembly, Com. Dipankar said that the youth spring for which Chandrashekhar sacrificed himself is in bloom again. He said that the students and youth will not rest till they defeat the unholy fascist-communal forces, and this can be done only by following the road shown by Bhagat Singh and Ambedkar. He pointed out that for the first time the slogans of Bhagat Singh and Ambedkar are intermingling across the country and only on the basis of this unity we can defeat the pseudo-nationalism of the Sangh and bring in the true progressive nationalism of Bhagat Singh and Ambedkar. He stressed that we must take this struggle forward and take it beyond campuses into every corner of the country.
JNUSU VP Shehla Rashid said that PM Modi has become afraid of students because they are asking pertinent questions about the promises he had made to the country. Having no answer, he has launched an attack on campuses across the country. The government was afraid of Rohith Vemula because he was talking not only for dalit interests but raising questions of democracy. She said that today when farmers are forced to commit suicide, dalits are oppressed and massacred, women are subjected to violence and rape, the government and Sangh are trying to whitewash all the issues by raising the nationalism bogey and forcing the chanting of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’. She pointed out that it is futile and hypocritical to chant this slogan when we cannot give justice to Rohith’s mother, Irom Sharmila, Soni Sori, and countless such oppressed people. She said the RSS is trying to create a divide between students and the army, but people will understand that we oppose not the army but war and the government which makes our jawans cannon-fodder.
Com. Pranay Krishna, remembering Chandrashekhar, said that Chandu is the symbol of student-power which has always given a fitting reply to murderous communal-fascist forces. Com. Dhirendra Jha said that JNU had shown the anti-fascist, anti-communal road to the country during the Babri destruction days and continues to do so today. Com. Rajaram Singh said that JNU is an institution that unites, not breaks, India, and the people will not allow its reputation to be tarnished.
JHARKHAND
In the first week of April, AISA and CPI(ML) leaders leading the Utho Mere Desh campaign were attacked in Jharkhand. CPI (ML) MLA, Com. Rajkumar Yadav and AISA leader and ex JNUSU president, Com. Ashutosh, were two of the several activists attacked. On 2 April, protests were organized in several parts of Jharkhand including Ranchi, Deogarh and Koderma. In Ranchi, a protest march was led by CPI (ML) state secretary Com. Janardhan and the march culminated in Albert Ekka Chowk where the effigy of the state government was burnt. CPI(ML), AISA and RYA activists challenged the Raghubar Das government that none of the state launched attacks against forces of struggles will scare the campaign from being taken forward. They further resolved to ensure maximum mobilization on 14 April, birthday of Dr. Ambedkar, in all districts of Jharkhand.
