A massive jan sunwai was organized by the Party in Patna on 16 November, which reverberated with slogans for Left unity and a collective struggle for peoples’ rights. Left leaders from various parties called for a strong joint Left struggle against the Delhi and Patna governments. The jan sunwai was attended by CPI(ML) General Secretary Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya, CPI(M) General Secretary Com. Prakash Karat, CPI national secretarial board member Com. Atul Kumar Anjan and other Left leaders. Representatives from SUCI(C), Forward Bloc, various peoples’ movements as well as journalists and intellectuals from the city attended in large numbers.
This jan sunwai was held after a 3-month long survey on the socio-economic conditions in Bihar organized by the CPI(ML). About 2 lakh rural and urban and poor and minority families had been surveyed as part of the Party’s Bihar ka sach, logon ka haq campaign and an in-depth analysis of the data and information thus collected has been done. The survey documented a wide range of issues such as changes in the socio-economic and educational condition of rural and urban poor and minorities and the ground realities regarding implementation of various government projects. The survey had also identified new and emerging areas for concern for the peoples’ movement. A detailed report of the results of the survey was presented at the jan sunwai on 16 November.
Addressing the jan sunwai, the CPI(ML) General Secretary pointed out that every year the government presents a ‘report card’ on development; however, this year the people of Bihar have decided to present their assessment and their own version of the government’s ‘report card’ before the government could do so. This report card shows that the rights of the people have continually being impinged upon. He stressed on the need for a joint struggle on the issues which have emerged from the survey. He further called upon CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat, CPI leader Atul Kumar Anjan are other Left leaders to seriously consider the possibility of a joint Left rally in February 2015 aimed at asserting a robust and militant Left resistance to the existing ruling class regimes both in Patna as well as in Delhi.
CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat congratulated each and every person who was involved in conducting the extensive socio-economic survey of Bihar, which had brought out the truth about the state of ‘development’ from the point of view of the poor in Bihar. He pointed out that the land reforms agenda is pivotal to development in Bihar, but the Nitish government has effectively shelved this agenda. Incidents of violence against women and mahadalits are coming to light frequently, but the Bihar government is unable to take any action. He stated that the need of the hour was a forceful agitation for the rights of sharecroppers, the poor and the landless. He also asserted that the building of a new Bihar was possible only with Left unity. He said that the CPI(ML) report would act as a guiding principle for Left’s agitations and initiatives in the future. Targeting the Modi government, he said that this government is betraying its promises to the people, and fostering an atmosphere of communal hatred in the country.
CPI leader Atul Kumar Anjan said that Left unity should be all-pervasive, from the streets to Parliament and Assemblies. He said that the Modi government is trying to inflict autocracy on the country. Much as this government boasts of development of the poor, the ground reality is that the rights of the poor are steadily being curtailed. MNREGA is being reduced, and LPG is getting costlier. He also pointed out that this crucial juncture, the survey conducted by the CPI(ML) is commendable, as it brings out the actual facts of poor people’s lives and issues for future struggles.
Earlier, the jan sunwai started by paying tributes to popular leader from Jehanabad-Arwal Com. Shah Chand. One minute’s silence was observed in his memory, after which the Party Bihar State Secretary presented the results of the survey. Com. Dhirendra Jha and Com. Rajaram Singh read out, respectively, the Summary of the survey and the political resolutions. Several demands were raised – including immediate release of those booked under the draconian TADA law, reinstatement of the Amir Das commission and action against all those providing political support to feudal forces such as the Ranveer Sena, immediate implementation of the recommendations of the Bandopadhyay report on land reforms in Bihar, water conservation, flood control, end to diversion of fertile land for non-agricultural purposes, implementation of a common school system, better health facilities and end to contractual labour. Former MP Com. Rameshwar Prasad and AIPWA leader Com. Meena Tiwari also addressed the jan sunwai. The programme was conducted by CCW member Com. KD Yadav. CPI State Secretary Rajendra Prasad Singh, CPI(M) State Secretary Vijaykant Thakur, SUCI State committee member Arun Kumar Singh, senior CPI(ML) leader Swadesh Bhattacharya as well as comrades Ramjatan Sharma, Nandkishore Prasad, Amar, Saroj Choube, Shashi Yadav, Mahboob Alam and other leaders also attended the jan sunwai along with several journalists and intellectuals from Patna and thousands of people from different parts of Bihar.