Northern Sangharsh Sandesh jatha in Rajasthan

CPI(M)'s Northern Sangharsh Sandesh jatha was received in Rajasthan at Sangaria on 8th evening. After an enthusiastic reception, the Jatha travelled to reach Hanumangarh

Addressing a large gathering at Bhagat Singh Chowk, Brinda Karat member of CPI(M) Polit Bureau expressed concern at the fate of Guaar producing peasants of twin districts of Hanumangarh and Ganganagar and other areas who are being deprived of a possibility of good rate. This is due to the intervention of state government favouring big export companies at the cost of peasants. It is to be noted that Guaar, used for extraction of shale gas on a large scale, last year fetched exporters Rs 33,000 a quintal in export market with help of speculative manipulation, while peasants were given only Rs 2,000. This year larger number of peasants with larger investment have gone for this crop hoping for a good rate. But traders have brought the rate down, and government instead of acting against speculators who manipulated market last year has helped crashing of export price. This has pushed the peasant's to an unending wait hoping for a better price to sell their produce. Government, too on its part is sitting idle and not offering any support in the form of Minimum Support Price.

Earlier, denouncing police repression on lawyers in Jaipur in strongest words, Brinda Karat, asked, “If this kind of treatment is meted out to protectors of law, one can well imagine what could await the poor or dalits who approach police with their complaints”. 

At the same time reacting to questions regarding police force in Rajasthan resorting to agitational methods, she squarely blamed State government for things coming to such an pass. “Has the Rajasthan government acted on time, High Court may not have issued the orders they did and hence no police agitation”. Expressing full solidarity with the agitating lawyers, Brinda Karat demanded withdrawal of all the false cases foisted against agitators and urged that the State government should start talks to find a solution for their demands. She was interacting with media here this morning.

Eastern Jatha in Champaran

Eastern Jatha travelled through Champaran of Bihar on Saturday, covering two districts. Once in frontline of independence movement, peasants in Champaran rose on several occasions against imperialist rule. Today, after long periods of misrule and discrimination, Champaran villages and towns carry visible signs of impoverishment. The fertile lands produce finest qualities of rice apart from wheat, sugarcane. But the small peasants and agricultural workers are facing acute crisis. Come to Champaran, and Nitish Kumar’s drumming of 'changed Bihar' is exposed to the core. 

Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha moved in from eastern Champaran headquarters Motihari to West Champaran’s Betiah. In this area, CPI(M) has considerable influence among the peasants and unorganised workers. In Betiah town, rickshaw workers are well organised under the banner of CITU. The public meeting took place in Sahid Smarak area in which poorest of the poor participated. Prakash Karat, Biman Basu and others addressed the meeting. Karat said that CPI(M) would try to co-ordinate various local and sectoral struggles and unleash powerful movement throughout the country.

Darbanga

Madhubani

 On Friday, the response to Jatha in Darbhanga and Madhubani districts was evident on the roads. Hundreds gathered on roadsides to receive the Jatha. Women came with garlands and virtually forced the Jatha vehicle to stop so that they can pay their regards to the leaders. In Laharia Sarai, Shafi Muslim School ground, thousands of people were most vocal in their slogans. There were peasants who are regularly endangered by floods of river Bagmati and Koshi. Nothing concrete has been done over the years for their protection. Whatever money is allotted vanishes even before the work starts. In towns, hundreds of dalits live in jhuggi-jhopris (slums) without basic amenities and under constant threat to evacuate. CPI(M) has taken up their issue and are resisting administration’s attacks on them. These poor people attended the rally and aptly listened to the call for a new struggle.

In Bisfy of Madhubani, struggle against feudal forces has a proud history. The public meeting took place in midst of vast agricultural lands, attended by peasants. Large numbers of women were there. CPI(M) leaders were felicitated in the land of poet Vidyapati in traditional Maithili culture.

 
In Chakia, East Champaran district, the rally was impressive. CPI(M) has strong support base here due to its sustained struggles, particularly on land issues. Landless agricultural workers attended in large numbers here. Biman Basu, while addressing emphasized on unity of the toiling masses to broaden the struggle for alternative policies. Prakash Karat, talking on food security, said that while submitting 4 crore signatures on food security, CPI(M) demanded the Prime minister that 90 per cent of the people should be given foodgrains for less than Rs 2 a kg through PDS. Enough foodgrains for that have been produced in the country he said.

Western Jatha in Warli Tribal Revolt Region

The Western Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha journeyed into the historic Warli tribal revolt region in Thane district on its second day on Saturday, March 09. Impressive meetings were held in Dahanu, Jawahar and Talassery towns, which were the epicentre of the tribal revolt in 1945. It may be recalled that the Warli tribals led by the Communist Party and its legendary leaders Godavari Parulekar and Shamrao Parulekar revolted against the big landlords, sahukars and the British in 1945. The landlords who were holding thousands of acres of land each as absentee landlords had to flee the area due to this rebellion and the lands were re-occupied by the tribals. 

Ever since this region has been a stronghold of the Party and the struggle for land continues till date in different forms. There is a concerted effort by the descendants of absentee landlords and sahukars to recapture the lands from tribals. With land rates zooming up because of proximity to Mumbai, there is an urgency in this effort by them using the government machinery. The CPI(M) has in few cases resorted to direct action and demolished whatever structures were being built in such lands and ensured possession of tribals continued. It is an ongoing struggle.

Today, as the jatha reached Dahanu town centre around 1 pm, thousands of people who braved hot sun, greeted the leaders with shouts of 'Inquilab zindabad'. Majority of the gathering were poor tribal women. Jatha member and Maharashtra state secretariat member Mariam Dhawale speaking first in the meeting attacked the NCP-Congress leaders for trampling the rights of tribals.

Sitaram Yechury in his speech lambasted the prime minister Manmohan Singh for stubbornly refusing to strengthen the Public Distribution System in the country. “Here is a prime minsiter who preferred to fatten the rats that were eating the rotting foodgrains in godowns rather than feed the starving millions in the country”, he said. This region, particularly Talassery, has faced severe drought in the recent period. But the PDS here is in a shambles with rampant corruption fostered by the nexus between ruling NCP-Congress leaders, officials and police. The CPI(M) is engaged in a big struggle to prevent this corruption. Recently it directly caught a truck of PDS ration that was being siphoned off to private godown. Although the administration was forced to slap cases against the dealer and few NCP-Congress leaders, it finally turned out to be an exercise in whitewash.

Mohd Salim said the prevelance of aneamia in 70 per cent of pregnant women in the country is due to the lack of food security for the people and wondered how the rulers still have the courage to keep talking of development. Nilotpal Basu explained the purpose of jatha and the need to intensify struggles to better their lives. CPI(M) Maharashtra state secretary also addressed the meetings.

Western Jatha Led by Com. Sitaram Yechury Flagged offf

On the international working women's day, a dalit woman poet and writer of repute, Pradyna Daya Pawar, flagged off the Western Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha in Mumbai by handing over the Red flag to jatha leader, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and MP, Sitaram Yechury. She did this at Hutatma Chowk (Martyrs Square) in the presence of other jatha members, CPI(M) central secretariat member Nilotpal Basu, central committee member Mohd Salim and Maharashtra state secretariat member Mariam Dhawale. 

Also present were Maharashtra state secretary Ashok Dhawale and central committee member K L Bajaj, Mumbai city secretary Mahendra Singh, and scores of Party workers and sympathisers, large contingent of Forward Seamens Union of India and CITU workers. A cross section of people from all walks of life were also present on the occasion.

Before the flag off ceremony, the leaders paid homage to the martyrs of Maharashtra state formation movement who were killed in a police firing in 1960. As this place is a designated silence zone, no speeches were made. However, speaking to media persons, Pradyna Daya Pawar lauded the CPI(M) for taking up the basic issues of working masses in this jatha programme and expressed her total support to the effort to present an alternative programme. She said dalits are the worst affected due to the implementation of neo-liberal policies and called upon them to join this struggle for a better and more equal India.

Sitaram Yechury in his remarks said that the country has all the resources, natural and demographic, needed to build a better India where every person gets education, job and access to health care. If this is to be made possible, then the present economic policies have to be changed. “And this change can only be brought about through waging militant struggles”. He said the present Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha is a vehicle to sharpen those struggles in the coming period.

The first stop of jatha after flag off was at Azad Maidan, a centre for political demonstrations, rallies and hunger strikes since independence movement. Today, as the jatha arrived there, the ground was filled with thousands of degree college lecturers who were agitating on their demands. Also, there were parallel demonstrations by Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan workers, Mumbai Municipal workers and domestic workers union. The college lecturers are on statewide strike on demands relating to wages, regularisation etc. The nearly 3000 odd gathering warmly greeted the jatha leaders with prolonged clapping as they walked into the place. Addressing them, Yechury expressed solidarity with their strike and demands. He called on them to continue the struggle.

 Public Meeting in Andheri

Addressing a public meeting in Andheri West on March 8 evening, Sitaram Yechury underlined the need to intensify struggles to beat back the loot-mongering, pro-rich economic policies and for implementation of pro-poor alternative economic regime. He appealed to the people to remain united and join this struggle to build a new and better India.
The meeting took place right in front of the bustling Andheri West railway station and apart from few thousands who participated in the meeting, hundreds more stopped by to listen to the speeches. Significant was the participation of a large number of Muslim minority women in the meeting.

Nilotpal Basu illustrated the rising inequalities in the country by drawing attention to Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani's obscenely large Rs 600 crore house near to the meeting venue and 70 per cent of people living on less than Rs 20 per day.
Mohd Salim explained how this Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha has taken up the basic issues of common people and spreading the message of the need for struggles to achieve the rights. Attacking those who seek to pit Hindus against Muslims or Marathis against Hindi-speaking people, Salim said that it is only leaders who benefited out of these divisive politics, not the common people. He called on the people to remain united and join the struggles for bettering their lives.

Mariam Dhawale said the major issue facing the women today is access to cheap foodgrains and quality education to children. She explained how the CPI(M) has put such issues on the agenda of politics and appealed to the people to strengthen that effort. 

CPI(M) central committee member and veteran trade unionist K L Bajaj in his brief speech said the remarkable success of the two day nationwide strike called by trade unions shows how the people are ready to join the struggle as also the strength of the working class. 

CPI(M) state secretary Ashok Dhawale, veteran educationist K K Theckedath and others were present while the meeting was conducted by state committee member Shailendra Kamble.

Chávez: A universal revolutionary

WITHOUT any distinction of political affiliation or geographic location, expressions of sorrow at the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez continue, in a generalized acknowledgment of the architect of the Bolivarian Revolution and one of the principal promoters of an integrated Latin America and the Caribbean.


The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America- Trade Treaty of the Peoples (ALBA-TCP) honored him before the UN Human Rights Council.

"Chávez was able to fully interpret the pro-independence and pro-unity thinking of Latin American and Caribbean independence leaders and take it to its most complete expression, the ALBA," affirmed Angélica Navarro, the Bolivian permanent representative in Geneva.

Alí Rodríguez Araque, UN secretary general of UNASUR, said that Chávez would be remembered not only as the promoter of Latin American integration and "the great restorer of Bolívar’s original project, but also the leader who restored Venezuelan dignity…"

Heads of MERCOSUR, ECLAC, and the Latin American Parliament also sent condolences to the Venezuelan government and people.

In a press conference in Haiti, President Michel Martelly expressed his sorrow at the death of Chávez, who he described as an exceptional person. "A great man has died, an exceptional person who never missed an opportunity to express his love for Haiti and to help its people. We will always be grateful to President Chávez, today is a sad day."

Guyanese President Donald Ramotar and Alejandro García Padilla, Governor of Puerto Rico, also sent condolences.

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-Army of the People (FARC-EP) issued a communiqué stating that it shares the pain of Venezuelan Bolivarians at the heartbreaking news. "Like no-one else, Chávez fought passionately to make material the social program of the Liberator Simón Bolívar, the unity and dignity of our peoples, the conviction of sovereignty and freedom in their widest sense."

Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized Chávez’ elevated human and leadership qualities in a message of condolence to the Venezuelan government and people. Putin described him as "an exceptional and outstanding leader and a close friend of Russia."
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko lamented the death of the Venezuelan leader, whom he described as a faithful and close friend and brother of his country.

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic announced that the Venezuelan President is to be awarded a posthumous decoration "for his merits in the development and reinforcement of peaceful cooperation between the two countries."

Irish President Michael Higgins highlighted Chávez’ battle against poverty and the social advances he achieved.

There were official announcements of condolences and acknowledgment of the head of state’s historic legacy in Italy, Portugal and Spain.

The Chinese Foreign Minister announced that President Hu Jintao; General Secretary of the Communist Party Xi Jinping; and Wu Bangguo, President of the Permanent Committee of the People’s National Assembly sent messages of condolence to Venezuelan authorities. The note describes Chávez as "a good friend of the Chinese people… who did much in favor of friendly and cooperative relations between Beijing and Caracas."

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh affirmed his profound sadness and described Chávez as "a charismatic and immensely popular leader, who leaves a legacy of struggle for social justice."

President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya also lamented the death of Chávez, who he defined as a key architect in African-South American relations.

Palestine National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas offered condolences to the 
Venezuelan people and government, while noting, "Palestinians have lost a friend who passionately defended their right to freedom."

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad affirmed that his Venezuelan counterpart will be like a saint who will return on the Day of Resurrection. Syrian leader Bashar al Assad stated that the death of Chávez was both "a great personal loss" and a loss for the Syrian people.
In the United States, actors Danny Glover and Sean Penn, and filmmakers Michael Moore and Oliver Stone also expressed their condolences to the Venezuelan people and highlighted the leader’s work in defense of the poor of the world and lovers of freedom.
Argentine footballer Diego Maradona also joined his compatriots in mourning the death of President Hugo Chávez. (SE)

Communiqué from the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) on the death of Comandante President Hugo Chávez Frías

CPI(M) THANE RALLY AGAINST CORRUPT LAND MAFIA-GOVT-POLICE NEXUS

Mariam Dhawale

CPIM Maharashtra State Secretariat member

On March 4, 2013, a large and angry rally of thousands of Adivasis led by the CPI(M) marched to the Talasari police station and tehsil office in Thane district, demanding strict action against the land mafia and its corrupt agents who were trying to fleece the poor Adivasis of their land. The rally also demanded immediate withdrawal of the false cases against CPI(M) activists who were fighting this corrupt land mafia, and action against the police officers responsible for these false cases.

In another basic demand, the rally insisted that the land of the absentee landlords and also forest land which is being tilled for generations by the Adivasis be vested in the names of the tribals. To ensure that land became more productive, the rally demanded immediate irrigation facilities from dams that had been completed with funds from the tribal sub-plan, but the water from which was being denied to the tribals and was being sent to the urban areas instead. It is a shameful fact that only two per cent of the agricultural land in Thane district is under irrigation as against the state average of 18 per cent (which is itself abysmally low!), in spite of the district having some of the largest water reservoirs in the state.

Well aware of the anger of the tribals, the police headquarters had specially deputed Additional SP Nishandar to meet the CPI(M) delegation in Talasari. The tehsildar of Talasari was also present during the discussion. The administration and the police were warned to solve the long-pending land issues at the earliest and to keep a strict check on the land mafia and its agents. They were apprised of the truth in the numerous false cases registered against CPI(M) activists. The Additional SP promised to immediately review these cases and take corrective steps. The delegation also demanded stern action against all the accused in cases of atrocities against women and girl children.

The public meeting was addressed by Dr Ashok Dhawale, Mahendra Singh, J P Gavit (ex-MLA), L B Dhangar, Lahanu Kom (ex-MP), Rajaram Ozare (MLA), Mariam Dhawale, Barkya Mangat, Edward Vartha, Ratan Budhar and Rasila Dhodi. Among those in the delegation were Ladak Kharpade, Hemlata Kom, Sangeeta Ozare, Shankar Umbarsada, Radka Kalangada and Rajesh Sadgir.

The rally also gave a call to make a big success of the Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha, which will be taking three public meetings in Thane district on March 9 at Dahanu, Jawhar and Talasari. Folders of the Jatha published by the CPI(M) Maharashtra state committee were distributed. Over 1000 copies of the CPI(M) state committee weekly ‘Jeevanmarg’ were sold in the rally by a team of DYFI activists.

BACKGROUND OF LAND STRUGGLE

During British rule, taking advantage of the illiteracy and backwardness amongst the tribals, the landlord class usurped their lands in Dahanu, Talasari, Palghar, Jawhar and Wada tehsils of Thane district. The Adivasis were forced to work as bonded labourers on the lands which they once owned. It was against this injustice that the historic Warli Adivasi Revolt was organised by the Communist Party and the Kisan Sabha under the leadership of Godavari and Shamrao Parulekar in 1945-47. Fearing the wrath of the tribals who had suffered immense cruelty and exploitation for decades, the landlords fled these areas. Most of them did not return. Godavari’s book ‘Adivasis Revolt’ clearly brings out this sordid saga of landlord tyranny and the glorious liberation struggle of the Adivasis. The tribals took possession of thousands of acres of land, thus ending a life of torture and misery.

Thus, Adivasis are in possession of, and are cultivating, large chunks of such land for the past 65 years. For many, this is their only means of livelihood. The CPI(M) has been organising regular struggles to get these lands registered in the names of the tribals, since they are still in the names of the absentee landlords who have fled the area long ago. 

Thane district has a large tribal population. Eight tehsils of the district have a majority tribal population. These tehsils also have a large forest area. Due to the sky-rocketing land prices in the neo-liberal era, land has become a precious commodity today. The builder lobby, in collaboration with the land mafia, is eyeing this land and has become very active in Thane district, especially because of its proximity to Mumbai. In connivance with the revenue officials, they are operating a racket to cheat the tribals of their land. Bogus land records are prepared showing some ‘heirs’ of the earlier landlords. The tribals have absolutely no means of verifying or challenging any of these documents. The local land mafia gets in touch with this ‘heir’, gets a buyer (probably a builder or contractor) for this piece of land and strikes a deal. Then this ‘new owner’ employs the land mafia to clear his land of ‘encroachments’ and to erect a fencing along the boundary of the land he has purchased. The tribals who are in actual possession of the land are totally unaware of all these dealings and come to know of them only when attempts are made to put up the compound fence and evict them from their land. The police jump in the fray to protect the criminals, to corner their own share of the spoils. The land mafia belongs to the NCP, BJP or Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (the notorious outfit known for forcible eviction of tribals using muscle power and usurping their land).

Kurjhe is a village in the Talasari tehsil of Thane district. The Kurjhe gram panchayat, along with most other gram panchayats in Talasari tehsil, is controlled by the CPI(M). During the gram panchayat elections held recently, the NCP and BJP used all kinds of threats and inducements, but they did not succeed. Here in one of the padas (hamlets) called Gavitpada, a surreptitious land deal of the above mentioned kind took place. Tribals of Kurjhe village protested against the takeover of the piece of land in Gavitpada and broke down the fence. They did not allow the land mafia led by Kiran Dhamode, who is the tehsil president of the NCP, to evict the poor tribal family there. The sarpanch and upa-sarpanch of the Kurjhe gram panchayat intervened to protect the tribal family. A fight took place with injuries to both sides. The police let off the land ‘dalals’ and slapped false cases of dacoity and rioting against the sarpanch, upa-sarpanch and 11 other comrades, including two women. This triggered an uproar amongst the tribal community all over Talasari tehsil.

During the last Assembly elections in 2009, the CPI(M) won the Dahanu (ST) constituency with Rajaram Ozare being elected MLA. This seat was earlier held by the NCP MLA Krishna Ghoda who is known for shielding corruption in food grains and land deals. The constituencies were re-organised before the last Assembly elections. The CPI(M), through tremendous hard work and struggles, won this seat. The Party has been waging a continuous struggle in Thane district against the onslaught on people’s rights. Hoarders and black-marketeers of ration food grains have been exposed. Forest department officials have been prevented from evicting Adivasis from forest plots, with the agitation for implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) continuing. Demand for work under the MGNREGA is being regularly raised. Issues of water, health, education, Anganwadi and Asha workers, contract workers, violence against women, etc. are taken up by the mass organisations.

TARGETING THE CPI(M)

Unable to break the stronghold of the CPI(M), vested interests in Dahanu and Talasari led by the NCP and BJP have started using the help of the police force and are lodging false cases against CPI(M) activists. Blatantly false cases of murder and dacoity are being registered so that bail is not granted. The police force is so corrupted that even in incidents of atrocities on women and girls, they shield the perpetrators of the crime. After prolonged struggles and determined follow-up by the AIDWA and DYFI, these cases of atrocities against women could be registered. In the last three years, around 100 main activists of the CPI(M) have been implicated in various cases through such false complaints. On February 27, 2012, a CPI(M) and AIDWA woman tribal activist, Mathi Ozare from the Vasa village of Talasari tehsil, was murdered by BJP goons because she worked sincerely for the victory of the CPI(M) in the just-concluded Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections. She was the 60th martyr of the Communist Party in Thane district since the famous Adivasi Revolt of 1945, and the first woman martyr in the district. Anger among the tribals against this corrupt NCP-BJP-land mafia-police nexus was growing. This anger erupted after the incident in Kurjhe village. The large and spirited rally on March 4 was its result. The rally vowed to further strengthen the struggle. 

Victory Rally in Tripura

CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat today said the massive mandate for Left Front in the recent elections in Tripura was for the alternative policies of the government which was committed to development, peace and welfare of the people.

The new message has gone to all corners of the country that it was the win of the alternative policies of the government which is committed to peace, development and welfare of the people of the state. What Tripura has shown is unique in the country," he said at the LF victory rally here.
              

The BJP and Congress state governments are actually protecting the interests of big capitalists and multinational forces. "But the character of Tripura government is different. It is the corruption free government which protected communal harmony, peace and development of the state," he said.
 

Referring to Congress Vice-president Rahul Gandhi's call to the people to uproot the communists from the entire country, he said the people of the state had infact done it to that party. 

He alleged that it was due to the anti-people policies of the UPA government that prices of essential commodities have sky rocketed, unemployment problem have become acute and peasants are in crisis.          

Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, who took office for the fourth time in a row yesterday, assured that his government would implement the poll pledges and work for the people's welfare by adopting more pro-people programmes.
                

“We have many successes, but we have many faults too. We will rectify our faults. I also appeal to the ministers and leaders of our party to be more modest to people and try to address their problems irrespective of political colour or affiliations,” Sarkar said He also appealed to insurgents to shun violence and return to the mainstream. RSP leader from West Bengal Manoj Bhattacharya and Assam CPI-M secretary Uddhab Burman too spoke at the rally.

Gujarat Sub-Jatha Flagged Off

 

The sub-jatha from Gujarat was flagged off in Bhavnagar by veteran leader of the CPI (M) Subodh Mehta. The jatha is being led by Arun Mehta. Nalini Jadeja and Ashok Sompura are the other members of the jatha. The leaders addressed various public meetings in Bhavnagar and criticised the economic policies of both the BJP and Congress governments at the state and centre. The jatha will Rajkot, Ahmedabad and Santrampur before proceeding to Indore to join the Western Jatha

Northern Jatha Progresses in Haryana

Ensure food security and minimum support price, demands Brinda Karat “The demand for food security and that of minimum support price for farmers are interlinked” said Brinda Karat today, addressing a meeting at Uklana, Jind district, Haryana. Sanghash Sandesh Jatha today had a whirlwind tour starting in the morning from Kaithal, receiving delegations at different places before it reached district headquarter Fatehabad to address a huge gathering. 

 

 

Impressive meetings were held at Uklana, Darasul, Bhuna and Ratia where huge numbers of agricultural workers particularly women were present. “The governments in Haryana and at Centre are designing their policies keeping in the interests of monopoly corporate and foreign capital rather than people by whom they were elected” criticised Brinda Karat.
She said “the latest move to allow FDI in retail sector is going to oust more than 5 crore families from their livelihood sources”. Remembering the legendary communist leader Pridhvi Singh who hails from Danouda area, Brinda reminded the audience about the rich legacy of struggles and sacrifices.

Referring the latest scam in implementation of farm loan waiver scheme, brought to light by the CAG, Brinda said, “the principle advisor of this whole fraud is none other than the Finance Minister”. She warned the state government which issued notices for loan recoveries to thousands of farmers in Haryana and called upon the Haryana farmers not to honour bank notices.

At Danouda, a delegation of Asha workers and MGNREGA workers met Brinda Karrat and explained their grievances to which Brinda Karat assured them that they will be taken up with the governments both at the State and Centre. She criticised the administration for asking the MGNEGA workers to discharge more than the scheduled quantum of works and also denying them minimum notified wages under the act. She demanded an inquiry into the insurance premium scam that was perpetrated in collusion with a private insurance agency and some of the officials in Haryana. The Anganwadi delegation that met Brinda Karat at Uklana briefed about how the insurance premium is perpetrated in the state.

While addressing a public gathering at Ratia, Brinda Karat demanded the state to make public the survey conducted by the state government on 8000 people. “Due to pollution of ground water with chemicals and other pollutants, 1800 hundred people are affected by Hepatitis C. The affected people are into deep debt spiral due to the cost of treatment. As Haryana does not have any facilities for the treatment of such deceases, all the affected families have to go to Delhi for the treatment.” She demanded the state government to announce a comprehensive policy for the rehabilitation of the affected people. Hannan Mollah, Inderjeet Singh, Harpal Singh, Ramkumar and others also spoke at different places.

Sub Jathas in Maharashtra

As part of Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha, the CPI(M) Maharashtra state committee is organising three main sub jathas from different regions of the state to cover the districts that would not be touched by the Southern and Western main jathas that pass through the state.

A sub jatha has begun on Thursday, March 06, from Malkapur in Buldana district of Vidarbha region. This jatha will cover the districts of Buldana, Akola, Amaravati, Washim and Wardha districts. This will also join the main Southern jatha at Wardha on March 09. 

Earlier, on March 04, another sub jatha began from Aurangabad in Marathwada region. It will cover Aurangabad, Jalna, Beed, Parbhani, Hingoli and Nanded districts during its four day long journey. This jatha will merge with the main Southern jatha when it enters Maharashtra at Kinwat in Nanded district on Friday, March 08.

The third sub jatha covering western Maharashtra began from Solapur on March 05. It has already covered Solapur and Pune districts. This jatha will reach Mumbai late tonight and merge with the main Western jatha that starts on Friday, March 08.

Apart from these three sub jathas, district level jathas have been organised in Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Latur and Osmanabad.