The CPI(ML) was at the forefront of a massive movement protesting the gang-rape and murder in November of a young woman Preeti Sharma of Haldwani on her way back from work. When it became apparent that the police was covering up the crime, a massive movement ensued. CPI(ML) leader Comrade Bahadur Singh Jangi was made Convenor of the Joint Struggle Committee. The movement continued for a month until the demanded a CBI enquiry signaling that the Uttarakhand State Police had lost all trust before the people. The movement, demanding a CBI enquiry, saw a Haldwani bandh, gherao of the Kumaon Commissionary at Nainital, protest programmes and continued dharna for a month. A Kumaon bandh had been called – but was called off when the State Government, on 17 December, eventually conceded the demand for a CBI enquiry.
A massive demonstration was held in Haldwani (Nainital) on 29 December 2008 to demand the status of revenue village for Bindukhatta and against the construction of the Jamrani dam. A large number of women participated. Bindukhatta had been settled after a CPI(ML)-led land struggle during 80s and 90s – and since then people have been demanding legal rights over the land they have been tilling.
The All India Agricultural Labourers’ Association (AIALA) organised a dharna at the Collectorate in Rudrapur, and submitted a memorandum to the CM, demanding jobs or else unemployment allowance for NREGA job card holders. The dharna was addressed by Com. Girija Pathak, KK Bora, Viren Haldar, Achinto Mandal, Lalit Matiyali, Kusum and Pankaj Vidrohi.
AISA held its fourth Uttarakhand State Conference on 15-16 December 2008 at Dehradun. On this occasion, a seminar was held on “Growing Assaults on Education and Employment and the role of the Student-Youth movement”. Veteran writer Vidyasagar Nautiyal was the chief guest at the seminar and the inaugural session was addressed among others by AISA President and General Secretary Comrades Indresh Maikhuri and Ravi Rai respectively, JNU Students’ Union President Com. Sandeep Singh and Uttarakhand CPI(ML) in-charge Com. Raja Bahuguna. Eighty delegates attended the Conference. The Conference elected a 19-member State Council, with Malti Haldar and Pawan Nautiyal as the State President and Secretary respectively.
