The CPI (ML) is organizing an Adhikar (Rights) Rally in Patna on 19 February 2017 which will see participation from various districts across the State. The governments of “social justice” in Bihar and “Achhe Din” at the Centre have both brought nothing but distress and destruction upon the people. While the note ban is wreaking havoc on the lives and livelihoods of the poor and the economy of the country, the Nitish government is consistently dishonoring the mandate of the people of Bihar. Land is being grabbed from the poor across Bihar. Those who fight for the rights of dalits and the poor are brutally killed just as comrades Satyanarayan Yadav (CPI(ML) District Secretary, Araria) and Kamleshwari Rishidev (AIARLA leader in Araria) were killed on New Year’s day. The poor are being deprived of education, health, employment and land rights. The gang rape and murder of Dika Kumari and the shielding of the culprits by the ruling establishment are a case in point. The Nitish government touts the liquor ban as a huge achievement but the truth is that liquor is still provided as “home delivery”. In the name of liquor ban, the poor are being hounded and victimized and thousands have been jailed. Students were forcibly co-opted under threat for the “anti-liquor human chain”. All this is being done to divert attention from the real issues and the broken promises of the government.
In preparation for the Adhikar Rally on 19 February the CPI(ML) has organized 6 zonal level activists’ conventions in Gaya, Ara, Patna, Muzaffarpur, Siwan and Jamui. Party General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, State Secretary Kunal addressed and the concerned district Secretaries addressed these conventions.
Addressing the Patna convention Com Dipankar Bhattacharya said that the poor in Bihar as well as the entire country are bearing the double brunt of Modi’s note ban on the one hand and Nitish’s liquor ban on the other. The Nitish government which makes tall claims of social justice is silent on 3 basic issues—education, employment and land reforms. Those fighting for these rights are attacked and even brutally killed. Of late the attacks on dalits, poor, women and minorities have risen sharply. Two recent examples are the killing of Satyanarayan Yadav and Kamleshwari Rishidev who were fighting for land reforms and the brutal gang rape and murder of Dika Kumari. Indifferent to and silent on these grave issues, the government’s sole agenda is to make a “human chain” for the liquor ban. Com. Dipankar outlined the plan for the agitation for social justice to be launched across Bihar from 26 January. The Adhikar Yatra will start from Beguserai district on 11 February and proceed via Bhagalpur, Seemanchal and other places to culminate in Patna on 17 February. It will be followed by a rally on 19 February which would appeal to the people of Uttar Pradesh to repeat the Bihar Assembly defeat of the anti-people and anti-poor BJP.
The other conventions were also addressed by Party leaders. Dika Kumari’s mother and students from Dika’s village attended the Muzaffarpur convention and took Party membership. The Siwan convention started with tributes to the late Prof Jameel Ahmed. Thousands of activists working among various sections of people in rural as well as urban areas participated in these conventions.
