NIA raids on Jharkhand TUs calling them Maoist 'attack on dissent': CASR

By Our Representative

On 19th and 20th June, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids at 19 different locations spread across Giridih and Bokaro districts of Jharkhand. "The raids had just one purpose, the targeting of trade union organizations, Majdoor Sangathan Samiti (MSS) and Asangthith Majdoor Morcha (AMM)", said civil rights network, Campaign Against State Repression (CASR).

"They aimed to target the leadership, so as to stifle the voices that talked about the oppression and exploitation faced by workers in Jharkhand, in one of the oldest and most populous industrial hubs in the country", claimed CASR, pointing out, "7 years ago in 2017 MSS was banned by the Jharkhand government under the BJP regime" under the pretext that it was the "frontal organization of the Communist Party of India (Maoist)."

Recalled CASR, "Later in 2022, High Court of Jharkhand lifted the ban on the grounds that there it found "no evidence which indicates that MSS is a frontal organization of the Maoist party", noting, "The court also observed that the actions of the Jharkhand government were very irresponsible."

According to CASR, "After the BJP lost the 2019 elections in Jharkhand, they again attempted to ban this organization", stating, in 2023, the state "repressed the same working class organisation on the grounds of a governor's ordinance", observing, this was "against the orders of the High Court judgment to ban MSS."

Amidst this "assault" on the trade union, said CASR, the Asangathit Majdoor Morcha "sprang to organise the unorganized working class in the area." And as this organisation too "became a thorn in the flesh for the state as it aims to organise contractual and unorganized workers", the state "attacked AMM, with the same vile intentions as it has done with MSS."

Commented CASR, "NIA is working towards the aim of completely stopping all trade union activities in Jharkhand to pave the way for intensified exploitation of the workers and the 'red tagging' of organisations as Maoist front is one such way. The politics of ban opens the door for long term repression of the struggles of the oppressed and exploited masses."

It said, quoting the court order, "Upholding Maoism as an ideology without actively engaging or calling for violence is not a crime. This is in line with the democratic ethos of being able to uphold political thought freely and without criminalisation", adding,"Banning and tagging of organisations such as MSS and AMM are an attempt to render the working class toothless."

Comments

70,000 migrants, sold on Canadian dream, face uncertain future: Canada reinvents the xenophobic wheel

By Saurav Sarkar* Bikram Singh is running out of time on his post-study work visa in Canada. Singh is one of about 70,000 migrants who were sold on the Canadian dream of eventually making the country their home but now face an uncertain future with their work permits set to expire by December 2024. They came from places like India, China, and the Philippines, and sold their land and belongings in their home countries, took out loans, or made other enormous commitments to get themselves to Canada.

Kerala government data implicates the Covid vaccines for excess deaths

By Bhaskaran Raman* On 03 Dec 2024, Mr Unnikrishnan of the Indian Express had written an article titled: “Kerala govt data busts vaccine death myth; no rise in mortality post-Covid”. It claims “no significant change in the death rate in the 35-44 age group between 2019 and 2023”. However, the claim is obviously wrong, even to a casual observer, as per the same data which the article presents, as explained below.

PM-JUGA: Support to states and gram sabhas for the FRA implementation and preparation and execution of CFR management plan

By Dr. Manohar Chauhan* (Over the period, under 275(1), Ministry of Tribal Affairs has provided fund to the states for FRA implementation. Besides, some states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra allocated special fund for FRA implementation. Now PM-JUDA under “Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan(DAJGUA) lunched by Prime Minister on 2nd October 2024 will not only be the major source of funding from MoTA to the States/UTs, but also will be the major support to the Gram sabha for the preparation and execution of CFR management Plan).

Operation Kagar represents Indian state's intensified attempt to extinguish Maoism: Resistance continues

By Harsh Thakor Operation Kagar represents the Indian state's intensified attempt to extinguish Maoism, which claims to embody the struggles and aspirations of Adivasis. Criminalized by the state, the Maoists have been portrayed as a threat, with Operation Kagar deploying strategies that jeopardize their activities. This operation weaves together economic, cultural, and political motives, allegedly with drone attacks on Adivasi homes.

How Amit Shah's statement on Ambedkar reflects frustration of those uncomfortable with Dalit assertion, empowerment

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Dr. B.R. Ambedkar remains the liberator and emancipator of India’s oppressed communities. However, attempts to box him between two Brahmanical political parties betray a superficial and self-serving understanding of his legacy. The statement by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the Rajya Sabha was highly objectionable, reflecting the frustration of those uncomfortable with Dalit assertion and empowerment.

This book delves deep into Maoism's historical, social, and political dimensions in India

By Harsh Thakor* "Storming the Gates of Heaven" by Amit Bhattacharya is a comprehensive study of the Indian Maoist movement. Bhattacharya examines the movement's evolution, drawing from numerous sources and showcasing his unwavering support for Charu Mazumdar's path and practice. The book, published in 2016, delves deeply into the movement's historical, social, and political dimensions.

Ideological assault on dargah of Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti will disturb pluralistic legacy: Modi told

Counterview Desk Letter to the Prime Minister about "a matter of the utmost concern affecting our country's social fabric": *** We are a group of independent citizens who over the past few years have made efforts to improve the deteriorating communal relations in the country. It is abundantly clear that over the last decade relations between communities, particularly Hindus and Muslims, and to an extent Christians are extremely strained leaving these latter two communities in extreme anxiety and insecurity.

Defeat of martial law: Has the decisive moment for change come in South Korea?

By Steven Lee Late at night on December 3, soldiers stormed into South Korea’s National Assembly in armored vehicles and combat helicopters. Assembly staff desperately blocked their assault with fire extinguishers and barricades. South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol had just declared martial law to “ eliminate ‘anti-state’ forces .”

Search This Blog