Established just a few months ago, Jharkhand Jan Sangharsh Morcha (JJSM) is currently acting as an umbrella for over two dozen provincial-local people’s organisations of Jharkhand to raise voices against injustice, exploitation, corruption and to resolve the public problems in the region.
Establishment
3 October, 2021, wasn’t a normal day for Jharkhand, as on this day, a number of pro-people organisations gathered at the Father Stan Swami Hall (Birsa Seva Ashram) of Bokaro Steel City and took a pledge to not let Jharkhand become a land of loot and support each other’s issues.
Under this pledge, various organisations formed a mass organisation, “Jharkhand Jan Sangharsh Morcha”, to establish a society free from oppression and exploitation. This mass organisation would go on to become a common front of women, students, youth, progressive writers, poets, artists, intellectuals and cultural workers.
Some of the organisations that are under the front: Sanyukta Gram Sabha, Jharkhand Krantikari Mazdoor Union, Mazdoor Sangathan Samiti, Adivasi Moolvasi Vikas Manch, Nav Loktantrik Sangh, Mehnatkash Mahila Sangharsh Samiti, Ulgulan Berojgar Manch, Tribal Native Development Forum, Bokaro Displaced Committee, Tenughat Displaced Committee, Dharamgarh Defense Committee, Forest Rights Committee, Primitive Tribes Council, etc.
Fulfilling Father Stan Swamy’s Dream
“Father Stan Swamy, who was one of the founder members of Visthapan Virodhi Jan Vikas Andolan, lived for the Adivasi and moolnivasi communities of Jharkhand.
“Taking inspiration from him, various people’s organisations have formed this front as a tribute to him to fulfil his dream of bringing all the movements of Jharkhand on one platform,” says Satyam, a social activist associated with the front.
The JJSM declared a struggle against the current Hindutva fascist government led by Narendra Modi at the Center on the nine points. Some of them are:
- Restore labour laws and cancel labour codes.
- Withdraw New Education Policy.
- Repeal anti-people black laws like UAPA and AFSPA.
- Stop the proceedings of CAA-NRC-NPR.
JJSM demands the following from the Hemant government of Jharkhand:
- Withdraw all the cases under the Pathalgadi movement and cancel the sedition case against the rural people and intellectuals during this period.
- Prohibit the construction of new CRPF camps in rural areas and also remove old camps from rural areas.
- Get a high-level inquiry into the case of Doli labourers who were killed in a fake encounter by paramilitary forces in the name of Maoists.
- Make strict laws against mob lynching and check on the communal hatred being spread in the state by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
- Make all the workers working on honorarium (MNREGA workers, ASHA, etc.) permanent and provide them with an adequate salary.
- Distribute 20.58 lakh acres of land deposited in the land bank among the landless farmers.
- Implement the provisions of Forest Act 2006, PESA Act, Gram Sabha, Fifth Schedule and Sixth Schedule.
- Cancel all MoUs signed with domestic and foreign companies.
- Repeal the Land Acquisition Act.
As many as 53 resolutions were passed, including the above-mentioned resolutions.
The Regime Changed, Oppression Didn’t
The havoc on the tribal-indigenous people started under the leadership of BJP Chief Minister Raghuvar Das, which continues to happen under JMM’s Hemant Soren.
Even today in Jharkhand, fake encounter killings of tribal-indigenous people, arrest in the name of Maoists, corruption in welfare schemes, construction of CRPF camps in rural areas, death due to hunger, land loot, mob lynching, MOUs with domestic and foreign capitalists, lathi-charge on the agitators, looting of coal-sand-stones, incidents of rape with women, etc., are happening rampantly.
Given the above grave circumstances, efforts are being made to bring all the agitating forces of Jharkhand on one platform so that the united voice of the belligerent people of Jharkhand can be heard by the Central and State Governments.
The Movement Growing Bigger
Within a few days of its inception, the front started functioning and held various public gatherings in different rural areas to educate and organise the people. Last year, the front also organised a series of Facebook live sessions regarding various issues. It started on 27 October, 2021 to 22 November, 2021.
People associated with the front and other organisations working in Jharkhand talked about a variety of issues like rising inflation, farm laws and labour codes, UAPA and other oppressive laws, problems of women in Jharkhand, [roblems of displacement in the region, New Education Policy, state repression, primitive groups in Jharkhand and their problems, etc.
On the appeal of Sankyukt Kisan Morcha, the front organised a public meeting and demonstration in front of the Governor House, Ranchi, on 26 November, 2021, to show solidarity with the farmer’s movement.
Getting Targeted By The State Government
The front is currently working on burning problems of Jharkhand, such as displacement, fake arrests, fake encounters, unemployment and violence against women. The front is facing problems from the state government as it has been successful in making news of the people’s problems which were being sidelined before.
On 15 December 2021, Doli workers of Parasnath Mountain in the Giridih district organised a protest against the government’s decision to allow two-wheeled vehicles on the peak. The change in rules directly affected the employment of over 20,000 Doli Workers in the area.
Etwari Hembrom, a Doli worker, was then arrested and labelled as Maoist. The front supported the workers and protested against the illegal incarceration of a common worker.
Rajini Murmu, who is convenor of the front and used to work as an associate professor, was sacked by the college administration for speaking about sexual harassment during the Sohrai fest in her college.
Bhagwan Das Kisku, a tribal activist, was arbitrarily arrested and labelled as Maoist after meeting the CM on the issue of the construction of CRPF camps on the land allotted for schools and hospitals. “If he is a Maoist, then how did he get access to CMO,” asks Satyam, a social worker associated with the front.
On 29 January, 2022, the youngest activist associated with the front, Baldev Murmu, was illegally detained in the Vishnugarh Police station of Hazaribagh and was interrogated for 54 hours. He was neither informed of the reasons for his arrest nor was presented before any magistrate.
He was released after the front started protesting against the illegal detention.
On 12 February 2022, two JJSM members, Anup Mehto and Satyam, along with other people, were arbitrarily detained by Chandil Police just for protesting against the forceful eviction of Dobo residents. The arrests were allegedly made on the orders of JMM MLA Sabita Mahto.
After the systematic pattern of repression and police brutality towards tribals, activists and journalists in Jharkhand, the front organised a public talk in Delhi on 3 April, 2022. Independent journalist Rupesh Kumar Singh, who was targeted by the central government using Pegasus spyware and who is also working with the front, was the speaker of the talk.
JJSM is currently working as an umbrella for over two dozen provincial-local people’s organisations and is setting up an example of how to hold the state responsible for the crimes being done by it and put pressure on it.