The CPI (ML) took out an Adhikar Rally in front of the Koderma Collectorate with a 144 point charter of demands. Thousands participated in the rally which rent the air with slogans on the issues of Mica gatherers, livelihoods of the poor, attacks on democratic rights, lathicharge and firing on workers protesting for their rights, and other issues. The rally was addressed by Rajkumar Yadav, Vinod Singh, Ramdhan Yadav and other leaders. Thousands attended the meeting despite heavy police presence intended to strike fear into the people. The speakers condemned the ban on Mica gatherers saying that thousands of poor people earn their livelihood through this occupation by selling the mica to traders. They pointed out the rampant corruption in the government and said that even a widow is asked for Rs 80,000 as bribe for appointment as ‘sakhi’. This matter would surely be raised by the Party inside the Assembly. They said that the CPI(ML) does not hanker after power and would fight for the people’s issues regardless of whether they become MLAs or MPs. The BJP government is bent on destroying Jharkhand, selling its resources to corporate houses, and subjecting protesters to lathi charge and firing. The renew leases and sell jal, jangal, jameen (water, land, and forest) to corporate houses. Scams in the appointment of teachers have come to light in the Home Minister’s home constituency but no action is being taken. Pradeep Chaudhury was beaten to death in Satgawa but no case has been registered under 302. The speakers called on the people to fight for justice and carry forward the dreams of martyr Com Mahendra Singh.
The main demands of the Adhikar Rally are as follows: removal of ban on mica pickers in Koderma and making it a legal trade thus providing livelihood to lakhs; guarantee of rations to all needy under the right to food Act; gas connections to all BPL families under PM Ujjwala Yojana; cancellation of confiscation of gairmajrua land; removal of ban on crushers and stone quarries in the district; pension camps for all pension holders; reopening of Karma Hospital; pension as per RR policy in Banjhodih Power Plant; ash pond construction at a minimum distance of 600 meters from the village; revoking amendments to CNT-SPT Act; payments for dobha, ponds, to be made by MNREGA and land conservation departments and taking bribes to be ended; all ration cards in public distribution shops in Chandwara to be regularized and rations to be distributed on a manual basis in case of cardholders whose fingerprints are difficult to obtain; inspection of ponds constructed by the land conservation department; revoking big holdings; and, judicial enquiry into the death of Pradeep Chaudhury and action against guilty police personnel.
