Responding to the state-wide Left parties’ call for ‘halla bol’ protest, the local units of CPI (M), CPI and CPI (ML) held a ‘halla-bol’ dharna protest on 7 January 2016 in front of the Collectorate. The dharna was to protest against- (i) the anti-people policies of the Centre and the State, (ii) the use of people’s hard-earned money for the benefit of corporate interests, and (iii) the failure of the Modi government to honour its promises. AISA, AIPWA, Kachhi Basti Union and other organizations also participated in good numbers in the protest.
Addressing the huge gathering at the protest, district Secretary Com. Chandra Dev Ola said that the people had voted the BJP to power on the issue of development but instead it is protecting the interests of capitalists. The common man has become sorely troubled by rising prices and loot by the government and therefore everyone needs to unite and fight against this and teach the government a lesson. CPI (M) district Secretary Com. Mohanlal Khokhawat warned the government that until the people of kachhi bastis in Udaipur are not given pattas, they will continue the fight and will not rest till they succeed. He further said that it is the duty of the government to give pattas to common people who have been living on a land for a long period of time. Senior CPI (M) leader Rajesh Singhvi said that the fight for the rights of the people living in kachhi bastis ad other needy people in the district would be further strengthened. CPI-ML district Secretary Com. Lehar Singh Chhajed pointed out the autocratic ways of the Modi and Vasundhara governments and said that these two governments have deactivated all the schemes which had been made for direct benefit of the common people. This government is constantly working against the interests of the people and is making policies to benefit the selfish interests of capitalists.
The chief speaker at the dharna CPI (ML) State Secretary Com. Mahendra Choudhary condemned the Modi government’s treachery on the issue of black money and other populist promises. Exposing the ‘chaal, charitra, chehra’ (gait, character, and face) of the BJP, he said that after promising ‘achche din’, the BJP has actually played the politics of communal divide in the country. The protest meeting passed a resolution to fight against the government’s anti-people policies.
Young comrades at the dharna energized the protesters with songs like ‘Le mashaalein chal pade hain log mere gaon ke’ and ‘Gar ho sake to ab koi shamma jalaiye’. A delegation of Left parties met the administration and informed them about democratic demands such as pattas for people living in Udaipur’s kachhi bastis, licenses for thela drivers, and occupancy for dalits and adivasis on their lands. The Collectorate was gheraoed and a symbolic ‘road block was done. In the talks with the delegation the administration assured them that the work of giving pattas to the people of the kachhi bastis would be completed in the next 2 months. After consulting the people at the protest, the delegation informed the administration that if this assurance was not implemented within the next 2 months, a prolonged and forceful protest would be launched in the coming days.
