Opposition parties in Jharkhand may not be able to bring their own top brasses together on a single dais—united front, their efforts to grow the clamour has managed some considerable listening nonetheless.
leaders representing parties such as Congress, JMM, JVM, RJD, Samajwadi Party, CPI and CPM, besides many from social organizations, converged on Monday to raise identical but ‘burning’ issues like land acquisition, domicile policy, anti-religious conversion law including the CNT-SPT changes that were recalled later by the government.
Through barring JVM, no other formidable party in Jharkhand was presented by its top leaders on the occasion when strategy, programme and coordination committees were getting formed ahead of a ‘united struggle’ set to begin across the State very soon.
Their aspirations and hesitation in sharing the space with others came to fore when JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya clarified during the mid-way called press conference that the party was free to conduct itself in public.
“We had discussed the issues relating to people of the State in June and also about formation of joint forum with Opposition unity. JMM is of the view that the movement against the government policies may be joint but parties would continue with their own programmes and activities independently,” he said in his brief interaction with the media.
On being asked about distance existed historically between JVM and JMM in the State on poll fronts, organiser of the summit Subodh Kant Sahay hurriedly brushed that aside indicating towards Babulal Marandi, Pradeep Yadav and Supriyo Bhattacharya present on the same platform.
However, despite his best efforts, Sahay could not manage his own party to jostle for the cause which was clearly aimed for 2019 battles coming in the form of lok Sabha and Assembly elections. Neither Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sukhdeo Bhagat or any major PCC office bearer nor any of the party MlA turned up there where a pledge to uproot the ruling BJP was taken. Moreover, the forum decided focusing on protests against land acquisition, displacement, Sarna Code and ‘anti-tribal’ policies being adopted by the Government.
“We have decided to form a coordination committee against the atrocities conducted by the Government targeting those who raised their voice. Cases have been slapped against numerous persons for protesting against CNT-SPT amendments being brought. They brought another legislation amending the land Acquisition Act, 2013 and has removed social-impact assessment clause. later the religious conversion Bill was brought as diversionary tactic. All these have brought us together. We will decide how to take the fight forward, organise styagraha and protests in the days to come,” said Marandi.
Gautam Sagar Rana of RJD, Bhuneshwar Mehta of CPI, Furkan Ansari were some other known political faces present there and unanimous about venting the ‘sense of outrage existing among masses against the policies and deeds’ of the Government and also to voice the concerns together with numerous socio-religious groups working at grass roots. Tribal activities Dayamani Barla, Karma Oraon, Premsahi Munda, Benjamin lakra were present on the occasion supporting the call.