Protests and Repression

CPIML had given the call for clanging on empty plates for 10 minutes at midday on 12 April 2020 to draw the attention of the government to the empty plates of the poor and to demand free rations and essentials for the poor.

On the eve of the program, Sitapur Party District in-charge Arjun Lal was arrested from his home and detained at the Hargaon Thana. He was released later but the next morning he was put under house arrest and the police left his house only after the time for the program was over.

AICCTU had called for a 2-day hunger strike on 18 and 19 April as a countrywide protest in solidarity with migrant workers. This call was supported by CPIML and AIARLA also. Responding to the call, CPIML Faizabad in-charge Comrade Atique and 3 other comrades observed a hunger strike at his home while maintaining physical distancing, also posting this information on social media. The Ayodhya Kotwali police arrested Atique and 3 other comrades (2 of them women) and released them on bail only late in the evening.

Similarly, AICCTU leader Comrade Rambharose’s brother was arrested at Maharajganj Thana along with 5 workers for sitting on dharna and kept at the Thana overnight. Since the police were looking for Rambharose, he voluntarily gave himself up the next morning and joined his arrested comrades. They were all released on bail in the evening.

Whenever the Party prepares for a protest program in Ghazipur District, the administration posts police guard at the CPIML District office so that nobody is allowed to go out. This behavior of the administration has been witnessed on the last 2 or 3 occasions.

Before the start of the Lockdown, students and youth activists were arrested and jailed in Lucknow during the anti-CAA protests. AISA Uttar Pradesh Vice President Nitin Raj was arrested for supporting the dharna by women at Ghantaghar in Lucknow. Ashwini Yadav was arrested for putting up a poster in Hazratganj. The case against NItin Raj and 22 other named persons are filed under Sections 66 (IT Act) and IPC 505, 427, 353, 283, 188, 149, 147 and 145. The case against Ashwini Yadav and 2 other named persons is registered under Sections 505 (1) (b), 12/3 Press and registration of Books Act 1867 and 3-Act against Destruction of Public Property 1964.

They were kept in jail for more than 3 weeks and released on parole for 2 months in the light of Supreme Court Corona directives.

Responding to the Party’s call for a National Protest Day on 19 May 2020, dharna protests were held at various Districts in Uttar Pradesh, maintaining physical distancing and other Lockdown rules. Dharnas were held at Bhadohi, Duduwa Dharmapur, Lucknow, Hardasi Khera, Munshi Khera, Bakshi Talab, 6 Tehsils in Azamgarh District, Lakhimpur Kheeri, paliya, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, Varanasi, Chandauli, Ghazipur, Ballia, Devariya, Mau, Gorakhpur, Allahabad, Faizabad, Jaunpur, Pilibhit, Sitapur, Kanpur, Jalaun, Mathura, Rae Bareli, and Moradabad. State Secretary Sudhakar Yadav and other leaders addressed the dharnas at different places and demanded answers from the Modi government for the betrayal of the poor, workers, farmers and small traders in the name of the ‘relief package’.

In response to the call by AICCTU and AIARLA hunger strikes were observed on 19 April at various places in the District. Party Foundation Day was observed on 22 April. AIPWA and AIARLA programs were organized on 23 April and 27 April respectively. A District Committee was held on 29 April. May Day and Karl Marx Jayanti were observed on 1 May and 5 May respectively. Branch meetings are being held at various Party Branch offices.

Lockdown Relief Work

The Varanasi Mohalla kitchen has been running successfully and providing hygienic food for the needy (see detailed report below). Similarly, AISA is organizing a kitchen in Allahabad with people’s help and supplying packed food to needy families. RYA activists are carrying out a similar kitchen initiative for disbursement of food in Gorakhpur.

With contributions from Party supporters, needy families were supplied rations in Lucknow. Lists were sent to voluntary organizations supportive of the Party for rations to needy workers. About 200 families were provided rations with Party initiatives. Lists of workers and bank accounts were prepared and sent to the Labor Department officials so that money could be put into their accounts. Migrant workers returning home on the roads were provided refreshment packets at the Kamta crossroad on the Lucknow-Gorakhpur highway.

Dry rations were collected with help from people’s contributions and distributed to urban poor and needy families in Rae Bareli. Lists of people without ration cards were made and arrangements were made for them to receive rations and other essentials at Mirzapur, Azamgarh, Sitapur and other Districts.

Azamgarh

Party initiatives in the District continue despite the Lockdown. There are large scale irregularities in the government announcement for free rations to the poor. A very large section of the poor does not have ration cards, and even those who had cards were denied rations on some excuse or the other. Through Party initiatives, lists of people denied rations were made and this was made an issue on social media. The administration was pressurized into disbursing rations in 8 bastis of Musahar and the poor.

Recently hail storms created havoc and destruction at villages in 2 Tehsils, Nizamabad and Budhanpur, destroying crops as well as homes and tin sheds. The Party made this a strong issue and forced the administration into action.

Varanasi

After the Lockdown, the situation became very bad for the common people. Apart from hunger and joblessness, they had to face beatings and inhuman behavior by the police. Through Party initiatives we distributed rations to 70 families. The Mohalla kitchen organized by the Party provided food for large numbers of needy families and migrant workers. Construction workers and auto drivers were helped by putting pressure on the administration resulting in Rs 1000 being put into their accounts.