On the occasion of the 126th martyrdom day of Dharti Aba Birsa Munda, a massive march was organised in Chatra on June 9 under the banner of CPI(ML) Liberation. The march began from Chatra College Ground and proceeded through the main streets of the town before culminating in a militant demonstration at the DFO office.
Hundreds of workers, peasants, women, adivasis and rural poor from different parts of Chatra district participated in the programme. Holding red flags and placards carrying their demands, the protesters raised powerful slogans, filling the streets of Chatra with the call for land, forest and people’s rights.
At the DFO office, a memorandum highlighting the problems of forest dwellers and rural people was submitted to the officials of both the North and South Forest Divisions.
The march was addressed by CPI(ML) Polit Bureau member and former Bagodar MLA Vinod Kumar Singh, CPI(ML) State Committee member and Panki Central Zila Parishad member Khushboo Kumari, Chatra in-charge and Standing Committee member Bhuneshwar Bediya, AISA State Secretary Triloki Nath, and several other leaders. The meeting was conducted by CPI(ML) Chatra District Secretary Manoj Prajapati.
Addressing the gathering, the Comrade Vinod said that Dharti Aba Birsa Munda had sacrificed his life for the defence of jal, jungle, zameen and adivasi dignity. On his martyrdom day, the people of Chatra resolved to intensify the struggle to realise his dreams and defend the rights of the oppressed.
He added that Chatra remains a major adivasi and forest region, where basic issues such as forest rights pattas, employment, education, health, irrigation, roads and electricity continue to remain unresolved. Forest-dwelling families have depended on forests and land for generations, but they are still being denied their legal rights under the Forest Rights Act, 2006. Instead, the poor are facing harassment, eviction drives and false cases by the Forest Department.
The CPI(ML) demanded that eligible adivasi and traditional forest-dwelling families must be immediately granted forest rights pattas. No family should be evicted from forest land without the consent of the Gram Sabha. The party also demanded that afforestation must be carried out according to local needs and its responsibility should be handed over to Gram Sabhas. Employment guarantee for people living in forest areas must also be ensured.
The protest strongly opposed policies aimed at handing over forest land to corporate companies. They also raised the issue of increasing elephant attacks in Chatra district and demanded immediate steps to ensure the safety of villagers. They demanded compensation without delay for the loss of crops, houses and other property caused by elephants during 2025-26.
The memorandum also demanded the withdrawal of false and fabricated cases filed against forest dwellers and effective implementation of the Forest Rights Act, and the immediate operationalisation of the Dadha Power Grid.
The meeting also underlined that the Supreme Court has made it clear that no person can be evicted from forest land in the name of removing encroachment without proper inquiry and due legal process. The Forest Department and administration must therefore strictly follow constitutional and legal provisions.
