Jharkhand bandh on 25 October called by CPI(ML) and other left parties in the state was a success not only in terms of peoples participation and support it received but also for making a point that continued repression on adivasis and common masses and current spree of firings, killings and brutal oppression by the BJP government must be stopped. The bandh was called to oppose the recent incidents of firing on tribal protesters in Khunti, firing on displaced people in Barkagaon and killing of two workers of Inland Power Plant in police firing in Gola.
Tribals and peasants were subjected to brutal repression for protecting their lands and livelihoods from the government sponsored corporate loot. Ongoing unabated communal attacks by Sangh outfits on minorities were also protested through this bandh. Demands of para-teachers and other contract workers in government sectors were also raised during this bandh.
While the Raghubar government’s state machinery was determined to foil the bandh call by heavy deployment of forces and open threats to the people, the common masses in all parts of the state came on the streets against state government’s policies. CPI(ML) senior leaders including State Secretary Janardan Prasad, ex-MLA Vinod Singh, Subhendu Sen and Bhuvaneshwar Kevat were arrested after a heavy crackdown on marching bandh supporters in state capital Ranchi,. Many leaders and activists were injured during the scuffle when police arrested hundreds of them and sent for a day to the Mohrabadi grounds which was turned into a makeshift jail. Arrests were also made in other places in the state including Giridih and Bokaro.
The protesters all over in the state demanded arrests under charges of murder of all officials others who perpetrated incidents of police firing in Khunti, Barkagaon and Gola, and to immediately stop the ongoing land grab and loot of natural resources in Jharkhand.
Marchers came to streets with the slogan ‘Raghubar Hatao, Jharkhand Bachao’ (Oust Raghubar govt, Save Jharkhand) in Bagodar, Birni, Rajdhanwar, Jamua, Devri, Gama, Tisri, Bengabad, Gandey, Giridih and Dumri blocks of Giridih district. Similar slogans reverberated also in Jharia, Bokaro, Hazaribad, Ramgarh, Ranchi, Bundu, Lohardagga, Gumla, Garhwa, Palamu, Latehar, Koderma, Deoghar, Dumka, Jamtara, Sahebganj and many other districts where masses joined bandh activists in hundreds spontaneously.
Markets remained closed in many places and roads were blockaded as was seen in Saria town. Workers organised processions in cities like Dhanbad in support of the bandh. Many also towns witnessed large processions on the eve of the bandh day.
Left parties including CPI(ML), CPM, CPI, MCC and SUCI held out processions jointly in almost all places. Jharkhand’s non-left opposition including Congress, JDU, RJD, JVM etc. barring JMM, also came for the bandh same day with a separate call.
CPI(ML) State Secretary Janardan Prasad has congratulated the people of the state to make the bandh call a success and termed it a reflection of peoples’ anger against fascist, pro-corporate Raghubar government in the state. He said that people cannot be deceived by rhetorical communal jingoistic manoeuvres of the BJP.
