Jharkhand Navnirman (Reconstruction) Rally, called by the CPI(ML) on 30 November 2000 was one of the most impressive rallies in recent times in Jharkhand. It was a powerful mass protest against the conspiracy of the saffron rulers to belie people’s aspirations behind a separate state. The rally, organised on the question of political assertion of adivasis and toiling people and ensuring people’s say on issues related to land, forest and all the developmental processes, marked the beginning of a new phase of the Party’s role and established the credentials of the Party as the revolutionary opposition.
Synchronised with the beating of traditional drums and gongs, slogans like “Jharkhand ka naya bihan, Maang raha hai lal nissan” (The new dawn of Jharkhand is crying out for the red flag), “Alag raj to jhaanki hai, Mafia ka safaya baaki hai” (Separate state is just the beginning of the show, elimination of Mafiadom is yet to come) rent the air, when the twenty thousand strong rally set out from Ranchi railway station to the historic Morhabadi Maidan. Party General Secretary Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya, Party MP and Secretary of Hill District Party Committee in Assam, Com. Jayanta Rongpi, Polit Bureau members Com. D.P. Buxi, incharge of Jharkhand, and Com. Ram Naresh Ram, leader of Legislature Party in Bihar Assembly, Party Secretary of Jharkhand Com. Suvendu Sen and CC member Com. Mahendra Singh, who also happens to be the Party’s MLA in the Jharkhand Assembly, and many other Party leaders were at the head of the procession. In front of the rally, Jharkhand Sanskriti Manch presented Chhau dance based on Birsa’s movement and Santhali dances.
Addressing the mass meeting, Com. Dipankar said that only a militant struggle by left and other progressive forces against the communal riot-mongers and mafia looters could transform the reality in Jharkhand. He said that the NDA had imposed a puppet government on this belatedly formed state, a government that is fully subservient to the multinationals and mafia dons. Revealing the designs of the BJP govt. behind appointment of Prabhat Kumar as Governor of Jharkhand, he said that the man was Home Secretary of UP when the Babri Masjid was razed to the ground, and for his compliance, he was awarded the post of Cabinet Secretary. Now the same person has been put in the governor’s chair not only to work as an RSS agent in the state and spread communal venom here, it is also meant to save him from facing Justice Liberhan Commission. He gave a call for a Jharkhand bandh on 6 December to protest against his appointment. He also appealed to JMM to make introspection and come closer to left forces, develop mutual coordination and regular dialogue.
Com. Bhuneshwar Mehta of CPI also addressed the gathering and endorsed the call of Jharkhand Bandh on 6 December resolved by the rally.
—BBP
The bandh called by CPI(ML) to demand recall of Prabhat Kumar, an accused of Babri Masjid demolition case, on 6 December was completely successful. While left parties including CPI actively supported the Bandh, JMM joined hands in ensuring its implementation.
In order to break the unity of toiling people and minorities, fascist forces
of Sangh Parivar led by Sanjay Singh, BJP MLA and President, Jharkhand Chambers
of Commerce, instructed police to conduct brutal lathi charge on minority activists
in Ranchi. Even they attempted to instigate a communal riot. In Bagodar block
of Giridih district, police fired on Party activists at Aura on the eve of the
Bandh, 5 December, in which Com. Jageshwar Mahato was seriously injured. Party
there had taken out a torch-light procession under the leadership of Com. Mahendra
Singh. Police even attacked our Party office at Bagodar and seized papers, etc.
On the other hand, foiling the saffron conspiracy, Party activists led by Com.
Suvendu Sen, Mahendra Singh, JP Minz, Mohan Datta, Janardan Mahato and others
heroically implemented the Bandh and courted arrest. JMM activists courted arrest
in Jamshedpur, Chaibasa, Dumka and other districts.
Protesting against the police attack on Party office at Bagodar and firing at Aura and the attempt by RSS, BJP and Chambers of Commerce to foment communal tension and break people’s unity, Party observed ‘Black Day’ throughout Jharkhand on 8 December.