Guidelines for Election Manifestos

A meeting was called today by the Election Commission of India seeking views of political parties for framing guidelines for governing the content of election manifestos.

The CPI(M) was represented at the meeting by Polit Bureau Member,  A.K. Padmanabhan and Central Secretariat Member, Hari Singh Kang. The full text of the note submitted by the party in this regard is being released herewith. 

On the Issue of Framing of Guidelines which Governs the Content of the Election Manifesto

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) is opposed to any form of intervention by any authority, agency or body in the formulation of the ideology, aims, policies, programmes of political parties.  The democratic polity of the country is based on political party system and free and fair elections. One of the important foundations of free and fair elections is the right of the political parties to freely express its ideology, policies, programmes and promises to the people.   Any infringement on the right of expression by intervention by any authority, body or agency will cut at the root of the political party system and free and fair elections.   A political party is a voluntary association of its members constituted on the basis of an ideology, certain aims, policies and programmes etc. It is the prerogative of the political parties to decide its aims, policies and programmes.

An Election Manifesto is a declaration of the ideology, aims, intentions, motives or views, policies, programmes and promises of a political party in elections.  Generally, Election Manifestos are published before every election. It is the right of each political party to decide the content of its Election Manifesto.  No country in the world, which has a strong system of democratic elections, has provided for supervision or approval by any external agency including electoral authority on the content of the Election  Manifesto.  The CPI(M) is opposed to any intervention by any external  authority, body or agency in the content of the Election Manifesto.

It is not possible to define the word `freebies’.  The definition in Webster Dictionary or Oxford Dictionary do not help us to identify what is meant by `freebies’. If  these definitions are acceptable, then all promises to implement `Part-IV Directive Principles of State Policy’ in the Constitution of India  and promises on all food security schemes, social welfare and security schemes, distribution of land to the landless etc  will come under the definition of `freebies’.  What is wrong if a party promises, if it comes to power to free education upto the secondary stage, or free health care, or distribution of land to the landless? All promises on any matter can be interpreted as `freebies’. 

It is not necessary to enact any law or frame any guidelines which govern the content of the Election Manifesto.  Important guidelines are already provided in the `General Conduct’ part of the `Model Code of Conduct for the Guidance of Political Parties and Candidates’.  Other than these, there is no need for any additional guidelines for the preparation of Election Manifesto by political parties. 

The Left will continue in its path of struggle: Buddhadeb Bhattacharya

The TMC has won in this Panchayat Election using utmost unscrupulous means of violence and terror but the Left Front has not been washed away, CPI(M) Politburo member Buddhadeb Bhattacharya commented while addressing a gathering on 5th August on the occasion of the 125th birthday of Muzaffar Ahmad. He said  that we are not floating in an empty space neither have we been blown away. People’s support is with us. With this only we shall continue in our path of struggle.

To commemorate the contribution of Comrade Muzaffar Ahmad, a pioneer in the Communist movement of India, this meeting was organized centrally in Mahajati Sadan.  In this meeting Buddhadeb Bhattacharya as president of Muzaffar Ahmed Memorial award committee also handed over the award for the year 2013 to Educationist Arun Choudhury for his book on ‘Adibasi jiban O sangram’ and Professor Shaktipada Pal for his book on ‘Muzaffar Ahmed and the Indian Communist movement’. Previously, Comrade Samar Mukherjee was the President of this Committee who died on 18th of July, 2013.

Buddhadeb Bhattacharya addressing the meeting said that right from the crisis in the farming sector to the suicides of the farmers, employment to the jobless or the issue of returning money to those who have become penniless in the chit fund scam, and against atrocities on women along with other demands the Left Front shall continue with its movement. In the Panchayat election no solution could be achieved on these political problems. So our work has not finished. We shall be in the field of struggle with all these demands.

He challenged the acceptance of the ruling party in winning over the Panchayat Election with the help of their Government. He said it all started with the fight between the State Government with the Election Commission. The highest court by giving its ruling proved that the election commission was right and not the State Government. Still in the whole election process the State Government did not co-operate with the election commission. The commission was left helpless. As a result the opposition had to suffer. Continuously attacks were organized against us. Such election was held in which 6250 people won without contest. Such ‘heroes’ they are!

Buddhadeb Bhattacharya said in all the district such threatening attacks has been carried out which never happened in the past. On the day of the election in many places election was completed in the early hours of the morning. In many districts people could not cast their votes. He asked what happened in Burdwan and Hoogly in the name of election? This is not the end. On the day of counting results were altered. The TMC has won through sheer terror. Otherwise they would not have been to get this result. They have got this huge win through arson and violence.

Bhattacharya also asked whether there has been any outcome to the kamudini case? He said nothing has come out whereas the Government is accusing the peoples whole hearted movement there as a conspiracy. In Katwa the culprits tried to molest the chastity of two teenage sisters inside their room and when their brother resisted they murdered him. He said everyday in the newspapers there is no end to sad news. The teenage girls are now not safe inside their houses. There too they are being attacked. Before the Government used to take steps if such things happened. Now the culprits are getting enthused excited with the Government’s inaction. They know who ever will criticize the Government, the Government will sue him.

In this state the rule of law is not prevalent. It is the rule of the TMC which is prevailing. Commenting on this Buddhadeb Bhattacharya said one TMC leader openly said to throw bombs on the police, to burn the houses. The election commission and judiciary all said to take action against this but in this State it is not the rule of law but the rule of TMC is prevailing, so even after such instances no one could touch that gentleman. Though what sort of gentleman he is, is another question.
Buddhadeb Bhattacharya accused that the TMC was creating danger in the hills on the north of the State. He said when signing the treaty with Subash Ghising he was forced to surrender the demand for a separate State but when the TMC Government signed the treaty with Gorkha Janamukti Morcha, they did so keeping the demand for Gorkhaland alive. The danger had ushered. In the Bidhan Sabha Election all the decisive forces were with the TMC. Now they are demanding their pound of flesh.

Besides Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, CPI(M) State Secretary Biman Basu, Politbureau member Nirupam Sen and other leaders were present. Speaking on this occasion Biman Basu said every effort has to be made to stop the curbing of democracy. He said by spear heading the demands of the common people can the efforts of the ruling class to suppress mass struggle be confronted. At any cost the attack on democracy and democratic rights has to be countered.

LDF to intensify stir Indefinite Secretariat Picketing from Aug 12

N S Sajith

 AS the day and night sit-in gains massive support, the Left Democratic Front has decided to intensify the struggle demanding the resignation of chief minister Oommen Chandy and setting up  of an impartial judicial probe into the multi-crore solar scam. LDF convener Vaikom Vishwan announced that day and night sit-in at secretariat and district collectorates will culminate on August 4 and indefinite secretariat picketing will begin on August 12. The mode of struggle will be novel and unseen in the history of Kerala, he said in a press conference at AKG centre, in Thiruvananthapuram on July 31.

The LDF volunteers will reach at the premises of secretariat on August 12th morning in large numbers. Volunteers from various parts of the state will add to the people already gathered. The functioning of secretariat will be stalled. As part of the preparations, district level campaign jathas will be organise from August 4. There will be no jathas on August 8th and 9th due to Eid-ul-Fitr. LDF district committees will meet soon to finalise the preparations for the jathas.

The LDF will form a massive organising committee in Thiruvananthapuram district to manage the indefinite picketing. The ongoing day and night struggle in the district centers and capital is gaining huge support of people from all walks of life. The new struggle will also receive such support from the people, Vaikom Vishwan said.

CPI(M) Kerala state secretary, Pinarayi Vijayan alleged that the  written complaint by an accused in the Solar Panel Scam, which was handed over to additional chief judicial magistrate, Ernakulam by the superintendent of the women's jail on July 31 has been manipulated. Addressing the media at Thiruvananthapuram, Pinarayi alleged that this was done with the knowledge of chief minister Oommen Chandy. This has underscored the necessity for a judicial enquiry, he added.

The magistrate before whom Saritha Nair was produced earlier on July 20 was unwilling to record her statement. Vijayan urged higher judicial bodies to take cognizance of this matter. Only a day earlier, the chief minister had predicted that good news would come. This prediction was a clear hint about the manipulation of the statement.

Earlier, Saritha had sought an opportunity to record her secret confession before the magistrate under the section of 164 CrPC. However, when she appeared before the magistrate he did not record her confession. The court later asked her to give a written complaint. After this incident, police took Saritha from the prison at Pathanamthitta where she was lodged, to Thiruvananthapuram. During transit the police had managed to influence her. Both appeasement and threats were used. Saritha’s mother had also visited her in jail.

Saritha’s counsel’s statement on the names contained in her statement becomes more significant in this context. Her counsel, Feni Balakrishnan, also warned that it would be a big shock if the names are made public. No Congress party leader has come forward opposing this statement.

Some leaders including central ministers have come out from hiding, which confirms that a manipulation has taken place, which reduced the pages of original complaint to 4 from 22, Pinarayi said.

Rescind FDI In Retail

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

 

 

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongly opposes the dilution of the norms for FDI in retail trade approved by the Union Cabinet. Consequent to the harmful decision to allow 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail, the government has diluted even the limited norms set out for foreign retail investment. Under the pressure of the United States, the requirement of 30 per cent sourcing from domestic small and medium industries, the requirement for back up investment and the condition that FDI in retail be allowed in cities of over 10 lakh population have been eased.

 

The government has further surrendered to the pressure from the United States and its giant retail companies to do this.

 

The CPI(M) reiterates its opposition to the entry of FDI in multi-brand retail and demands that the government rescind this policy.

No Collaboration In Snooping

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

 

The latest disclosures in the documents provided by American whistleblower, Edward Snowden, show that the Indian government is collaborating with the United States of America in its electronic surveillance in India.

 

The US has installed some 700 servers in 150 locations around the world, one of which is near New Delhi, as part of a hitherto undisclosed programme called “Xkeyscore”, under which electronic snooping is undertaken by the US’s National Security Agency. The programme is meant for searching through the vast database containing emails, online chats and browsing histories of millions of individuals.

 

Earlier, the Government of India had justified the “snooping” in the name of tracking terrorist activity, with External Affairs minister going so far as to say that it is not snooping but only an analysis of the pattern of calls.

 

Now it is clear that this justificatory statement was made because the Government of India itself is a collaborating partner in the global spy network of the US, which undermines the sovereignty of India. The CPI(M) deplores this action of the government. 

 

The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) demands that the Manmohan Singh government forthwith stop collaborating with the United States in its snooping on Indian citizens and close down the electronic surveillance facilities provided to it in India. 

West Bengal SOLIDARITY MEETING IN HYDERABAD

The results in the recent Panchayat election in Bengal do not truly reflect the verdict of the people as the entire election process had been vitiated with booth capturing,  rigging, violent attacks on opposition etc, said CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat in Hyderabad today. He called upon people outside Bengal to extend full support and solidarity to the heroic fight of Bengal comrades to defend democracy and rights of the people.

Karat was addressing a solidarity meeting with Bengal Left Front organised by the CPI(M) Andhra Pradesh state committee. The meeting held in Sundarayya Vignana Kendram was presided over by CPI(M) state secretary B V Raghavulu. Among those who spoke included CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury, CPI state secretary K Narayana, RSP secretary Janakiramulu, Forward Block general secretary B Surender Reddy and CPI(ML) Liberation leader Uday Kiran. Although CPI(ML) could not send its representative to the meeting, it sent a message expressing solidarity with the fighting comrades of Bengal. CPI(M) central secretariat member V Sreenivasa Rao was present on the dais.

Karat in his speech depicted the grim picture of Trinamool violence in Bengal during the recent panchayat polls. He said it was during the Left Front regime of 34 years that Panchayat system in Bengal came into existence and became an important instrument of empowering the poor peasants, agricultural workers and others in running the affairs of panchayats. This had resulted in a big change in rural Bengal. The main aim of Trinamool behind this violent campaign to sieze the Panchayats is to undo this empowering. They do not want the poor to have any say in deciding finances and other aspects of panchayat rule, he said. 4470 booths were openly rigged, counting process was also manipulated in many areas to ensure victory of TMC candidates. He cited how TMC goons threw bomb and killed the husband of CPI(M) candidate Manwara Biwi in the presence of TV crews for daring to contest the elections.

Karat said he did not agree with those who cite these results to say that TMC has gained strength in rural areas. “Trinamool Congress won these Panchayat elections on this false basis. If they think they can continue to dominate the people of Bengal in this violent manner, they are wrong. There is plenty of evidence in the recent polls that people have begun to fight against this goondaism.

Yechury in his brief speech in Telugu said what is happening in Bengal is a serious class struggle. The TMC government is bent on reversing the land reforms programme of the Left Front by which over 11 lakh hectares of land was transferred from the rich to the poor. There would be more efforts in this direction in the coming period, he felt. The violence and undermining of democracy in Bengal if not checked, would result in undermining of democracy at the all India level, he warned. In this connection he drew a parallel with the events of 1967, 1972 in Bengal and the imposition of emergency in 1975. “We had warned then also that it is not just an attack on Left but an attack on democracy itself. Now also it is an attack on democracy and the rights of people. We have to learn lessons and prevent the danger”, he said. Yechury also called for widespread solidarity actions. Earlier, a booklet brought out in Telugu detailing the present situation in Bengal was released by Yechury on this occasion.

On Telangana State

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

 

After long procrastination and more than two years after the report submitted by the Srikrishna Committee, the Congress leadership and the UPA government have decided on the division of Andhra Pradesh and the formation of Telangana state. This decision seems to have been impelled by the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. It will give a fillip to demands for separate states in other places.

 

The CPI(M) has always stood for the integrity of the states based on the democratic principle of linguistic states.

 

The issue of the formation of Telangana will now have to be decided by parliament.

 

The Polit Bureau appeals to the people of all regions of the state to maintain peace and harmony while the matter is ultimately decided by parliament.

 

B.V. Raghavulu, Secretary of the Andhra Pradesh State Committee of the CP(M) has issued the following statement:

 

For the last three and half years Andhra Pradesh state has been in throes of uncertainty and confusion because of the opportunism of Congress party on the issue of forming of separate Telangana. It is a welcome development that at last the Congress party that is ruling both at centre and in the state has finally taken a clear stand on the Telangana issue. We request other parties that are speaking in double voices in both regions to at least now come out with clear statement on the issue.

 

Political parties should prepare to take a decision as per their respective stands in the highest forum in parliamentary democracy, Parliament, without giving any scope to rouse mutual hatred or animosities.

 

CPI (M) activist in Khamman hacked to death by Congress

The brutal murder of a CPI (M) activist by congress goons at Pandillapalli in Chintakani mandal in Khammam District (andhra Pradesh) on Sunday triggered widespread protests by the CPI (M) cadres in the district on Monday.

The CPI (M) district committee has said the incident as a “political murder” by the Congress party cadres and called for district wide protests against the “political killings” on Tuesday.

In the first incident of post-panchayat poll violence, Alavala Srinivasa Rao, 36, an advocate and a key functionary of the CPI (M), was allegedly killed by suspected political opponents a day after the second phase of panchayat elections.

Srinivasa Rao was waylaid and brutally attacked with sticks by more than 12 persons at Pandillapalli on Sunday when he was returning to Khammam after visiting his relative’s house. He succumbed to the critical injuries at a hospital in Khammam on Sunday midnight. The incident prompted the authorities to clamp prohibitory orders at the politically sensitive Pandillapalli on Monday.

Vehemently denouncing the murder, the CPI (M) cadres led by the party district secretary P. Sudarshan took out a rally in Pandillapalli on Monday. Addressing the protesters, Com Sudarshan alleged that the Congress party cadres brutally killed Srinivasa Rao as per a well hatched conspiracy.

All India Kisan Sabha 33rd National Conference

The 33rd national conference of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) was held in Cuddalore, Tamilnadu, from 24th to 27th July. with a stirring call to the peasantry of the country to unitedly fight back the process of corporatisation of agriculture deliberately unleashed by the UPA government. It also pledged to strive to build a powerful united kisan movement against the anti-farmer neo-liberal policies of the government.

The 33rd conference proceedings began at Comrade Harksihan Singh Surjeet Nagar with the ceremony of handing over of Red flag and memorial torches brought from different parts of Tamilnadu. The AIKS Red flag, brought from Thenpari in Thanjavur district where the first unit of Kisan Sabha was formed in the state, was handed over to AIKS general secretary K Varadharajan by AIKS state leader G Veeraiayan. The Venmani martyrs memorial torch commemorating the martyrdom of 44 dalit agricultural labourers torched to death by landlords in Kilvenmani village in 1968, was handed over to leader of opposition in Bengal assembly Dr Surjya Kanta Mishra by Kisan leader and CPI(M) MLA R Ramamurthy. Similarly, other torches were handed over to AIKS leaders Bajuban Reyang, E P Jayarajan and Noorul Huda.

Later, veteran Marxist leader and freedom fighter N Sankaraiah, who worked as president and general secretary of the AIKS in the past, hoisted the AIKS flag amidst shouts of 'Veera Vanakkam! Veera Vanakkam!' (Red Salute, Red Salute!) by delegates and volunteers. With Safdar Hashmi troupe rendering revolutionary songs, the delegates marched past the martyrs column paying homage to the countless martyr comrades from the past and the present. The backdrop of the stage in the conference hall – rechristened  as Venmani Martyrs Hall – was a tribute to the glorious struggles of peasants and agricultural workers in 1940 in East Thanjavur. The hut in which the martyrs were burnt by the landlords was recreated with paintings depicting the flames.

Delivering his presidential address, AIKS president S Ramachandran Pillai said the free market policies being implemented for nearly three decades have increased the pace of disappearance of the peasant agriculture while establishing the domination of large-scale agri-business corporations. Landlessness is growing at a faster pace as can be seen from the following figure. The percentage of landless households in the rural areas in 1992 was 22 per cent while today it has reached 41 per cent. He charged that the central government policies are deliberately aimed at making agriculture unviable so that the small peasants sell their lands and thus facilitate corporatisation of agriculture.

In this context he cited how the costs of all agricultural inputs have spiralled out of control, especially seeds which are now under the total control of profit-hungry private companies. The government's bad intention is made further clear by its  stout refusal to increase the minimum support price as suggested by Dr M S Swaminathan Commission. Coupled with this is the free entry of highly subsidised agri imports due to various free trade agreements the Indian government is entering into.

Due to such policies, the peasants, agricultural workers and the commonpeople of the country are experiencing the adverse impacts. Over 3 lakh farmes have committed suicide and they are still continuing with two peasants resorting to this step in every one hour. There is growing unemployment and MNREGA has failed to address this problem. The number of hungry is increasing and as per Global Hunger Index prepared by the World Bank, India stands at a dismal 67th rank out of 79 countries. Our position in terms of underweight children is much worse – 128th rank out of 129 with Timor Leste alone behind us! Pillai traced such a dire situation to the deliberate choice of policies by the UPA-II government.

Allowing FDI into retail sector would adversely affect the interests of small and medium producers, consumers and traders. It will, he said, also affect our food security due to changes in cropping pattern, which will be dictated by the MNCs. Manmohan Singh government's talk of second green revolution is nothing but unbridled promotion of corporatisation of agriculture by such measures. In such a scenario, the AIKS calls for greater unity among the Left peasant and agricultural workers organisations to fight for alternative policies for agricultural development. Such policies would be centred around the interests of agricultural workers and poor and middle peasants who constitute the overwhelming majority among the peasantry. Pillai said AIKS will also rally other democratic peasant organisations in this struggle even as it continues to build united struggles with the working class and other toiling masses.

AIKS general secretary Atul Kumar Anjan in his fraternal speech said that unless agriculture sector is put in order the entire economy of the country will not recover from the crisis it is experiencing. Despite such a cruciality of the sector, the UPA-II government is bent on pushing it into greater crisis. He condemned the government's refusal to discuss the recommendations of Dr M S Swaminathan Commission although they were submitted in 2006. He reciprocated the need for joint, united struggles of kisans like the ones being waged by the working class. Only through such united movements can the scenario in rual India be changed, he felt.

N Sankaraiah in his brief speech gave a call to reject both Congress and BJP which pursue similar policies and project an alternative based on struggles around people's issues. Praising the comrades of Bengal for the heroic battle they are waging against the monstruous attacks by Trinamool Congress goons, Sankaraiah said one way of supporting Bengal comrades is by expanding the Party in other parts of the country.

AIKS joint secretary N K Shukla placed the condolence resolution in which tributes were paid to Jyoti Basu, Samar Mukherjee, M K Pandhe, Ramnarayan Goswami, N Varadarajan as also to scores of comrades martyred in Bengal.

Reception Committee president K Balakrishna delivered welcome address. A Resolution moved by AIKS joint secretary Vijoo Krishnan opposing government's decision to allow FDI into agriculture was unanimously adopted by the conference.

  Com. Amra Ram          Com. Hannan Molla      Com. Krishna Prasad

Kisan Sabha through resolutiondemanded at least 200 days of work per year to rural people under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) and a wage of Rs 300 per day.

".. AIKS demands the provision of at least 200 days of work per adult worker for every rural household at a wage of not less than Rs 300 per day through the MNREGS," one of the six resolutions passed at its four-day all India conference .

It also demanded that the scheme be extended to urban areas suitably. "This conference also calls upon all its units to take up problems related to MNREGA implementation and organise workers against efforts to dilute its provisions."

The conference also pressed for a "meaningful debate" in the Parliament on the proposed Food Security Bill and necessary amendments to address various concerns.

It urged that the system of universal PDS be put in place and entitlements restored to seven kg per capita per month, with a minimum of 35 kg per household per month.

Another resolution expressed concerns at the non implementation of the Forest Rights Act in most states in the country and sought remedial action.

"All the land that is in the possession of and being actually cultivated by Adivasis and other traditional forest dwellers be vested in their names."

Other resolutions resisted corporatisation of agriculture and to protect peasantry, demanded substantial increase in public investment in agriculture, expansion and strengthening of extension and research services and prompt procurement at remunerative prices. 

 

The 33rd all India conference of AIKS came to a successful conclusion with the unanimous election of new leadership. Kisan leader from Rajasthan and veteran of many successful farmer struggles, Amra Ram, has been elected as the new President of All India Kisan Sabha by the 33rd conference. Senior leader Hannan Mollah has been elected as new General Secretary by the newly elected 146 members of All India Kisan Coucil (AIKC) at their first meeting.  The conference elected the following new vice-presidents – S.Ramachandran Pillai, K.Varadha Rajan, Madan Ghosh, Malla Reddy, Abdul Rezzack Mollah and K. Balakrishnan; seven joint secretaries and one finance secretary Com. P Krishna Prasad. The meeting also elected 62 Central Kisan Committee (CKC) members and 14 office bearers.

As part of concluding ceremony, a huge farmers rally of around 2 lakh people as carried out. The public meeting was held at Manjakuppam grounds and was inaugurated by Com. Manik Sarkar, Tripura CM.  

Jharkhand: Unprovoked Firing on Protesters

Hundreds of people participated in a demonstration in front of the Hazaribagh Commissioner’s office on July 26 demanding a probe by a sitting judge of the High Court to enquire into the firing on peaceful protesters in Chatti-Bariyatu in Hazaribagh on July 23, which had led to the death of a protester and injuries to a few others.

The unarmed villagers were protesting against forcible construction of a shed on their land without their consent. Negotiations were going on between the peasants and the management of the NTPC which was interested in acquiring the land. As the NTPC management had not agreed to provide adequate compensation for the multi-crop land to the peasants and guarantee rehabilitation and resettlement including employment, no settlement was arrived at.

The multi-crop land is the economic base of the whole area producing paddy, wheat, pulses and different cash crops including vegetables which are sent to different markets of the industrial district of Hazaribagh.

Two Coal-Blocks were allocated to the NTPC on January 25, 2006. But as no work started within the stipulated period, the allocation was cancelled on June 14, 2011.

Further, environment and forest clearance for the Chatti-Bariyatu and Keredari Coal block which had been allocated to NTPC in January 2013, were issued only recently. The area covered by the said two Coal-Blocks of Keredari and Chatti-Bariyatu areas are about 1400 Acres including multi-crop land of six villages.

The land, in question, where the construction was taking place leading to protests is part of the de-allocated coal block.

A joint team of the CPI(M) & CPI visited Chatti-Bariyatu in Hazaribagh on July 25. The team consisting of CPI (M) State Secretary Gopikant Bakshi, Member of State Secretariat Prakash Viplav, Secretary Hazaribagh district committee Ganesh Kumar Verma, Shahikant, Sanjay Prasad, Rambilash Singh {all of CPI (M)} and Mahendra Pathak from the CPI met the wife and members of the deceased Keshar Mahto  and the families of those injured. They also met the injured villagers admitted to the Sadar Hospital.

Speaking to the delegation, villagers revealed how the management of the central public sector undertaking, NTPC, connived with contractors and the police. The police action against peaceful protesters was unwarranted. The firing took place in broad daylight without any provocation from the side of the villagers. There was no warning whatsoever. The police chased the villagers nearly half a kilometer away from the construction site and opened fire indiscriminately.

The intent of the police becomes clear when one looks at the injuries. The deceased Keshar Mahto had gun short injuries on his head and belly. Ramesh Mahto was shot at on the right jaw while Makhan Mahato suffered a bullet injury on the knee. Two critically injured villagers, Nanu Mahto and  Rahul Mahto have been admitted to the Government hospital in Ranchi, the state capital.

The CPI(M) has demanded an enquiry by a sitting judge of the High Court, proper punishment for those responsible for the firing, Rs. 20 Lakh as compensation to the family of the deceased and adequate compensation and proper treatment for those who have suffered injuries. It has also demanded a restriction on acquirement of the land of villagers until proper policies for acquisition   of land is finalized by the Central government. Protests were organized in different parts of the state on July 24.