Nearly 2,000 right activists from different parts of Jharkhand took part in a dharna reminding the Hemant Soren government of its “unfulfilled” promises while taking resolve to prevent a “double bulldozer” BJP government in poll-bound state.
The dharna near Raj Bhavan was organised under the banner of Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha (a coalition of right outfits) and had participants carrying placards like “Remove BJP, save Jharkhand” and “Hemant Soren government, keep the promise on public issues”.
“In the 2019 Assembly election, the JMM-Congress-RJD alliance parties had promised action on many public issues in their manifesto. In the last 5 years, the state government has done many works as per the expectations of the people, but many important promises are still unfulfilled. We want to remind it to fulfill it before polls,” said Manthan, a social activist from Jamshedpur at the protest site.
“Around 22 lakh acres of non-cultivated and community land of the state was put into land bank by the previous BJP government without the consent of gram sabhas and the land has been given for various government and private projects. JMM had promised to cancel it but it is yet to be done by the government,” said Birsa Hembrom.
“Under the Land Acquisition Act (Jharkhand) Amendment, 2017, private and community land including multi-crop land was forcibly acquired for private and government projects without the consent of the Gram Sabha and social impact assessment. What is preventing the present government from fulfilling its promise,” said James Herenz.
Ajay Ekka, another activist said unfortunately even in this government, PESA rules could not be made to ensure the rights of traditional Gram Sabha on resources and local system.
George Monipalli, who fights for forest rights, said that the state government is making big claims of allotment of forest pattas (land deeds) but thousands of private and community claims of the state are pending.
It was also alleged that the forest department is lodging “fake cases’ against farmers who have been cultivating on forest lands for years.
Development economist Jean Dreze reminded that fake cases and being in jail for years as undertrials is also a big problem for tribal-Dalits. The coalition parties had promised in their manifesto that undertrial prisoners in jail for a long time would be released. But no action was taken on this.
People also raised the issue of widespread malnutrition among tribal-Dalit children in the protest.
Political activist Yogendra Yadav of Bharat Jodo Abhiyan said that there is a continuous effort to spread communalism in the state.
“The public does not want a double bulldozer BJP rule. But the Hemant Soren government will have to support the people’s struggle by acting on public issues with truth and commitment,” said Yadav.
The Mahasabha delegation submitted a memorandum address to chief minister Hemant Soren demanding following actions be ensured before the Assembly polls — cancelling the land bank and Land Acquisition Act (Jharkhand) Amendment, 2017, distribution of pending individual and community forest leases, notify and strictly implement the PESA rules, release undertrial prisoners who have been in jail for a long time.
Protest for eggs
Later, over a hundred Right to Food campaign activists from Jharkhand held a protest at Ranchi demanding immediate provision of eggs in Anganwadi — one egg per child every day, as promised by the Jharkhand government.
Holding placards and waving boiled eggs, the participants distributed a booklet explaining why eggs are a must in Anganwadis.
Yogendra Yadav, despite being a vegetarian and also allergic to eggs, participated in the agitation and said, “It’s a must for all anganwadis children to be given eggs.”
