India

Thousands of People Marched to Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly

Thousands of tribals, farmers and labourers from various parts of Chhattisgarh gathered at Raipur to march on to State Assembly on 8 December, 2010. In spite of unprecedented torrential rain across the State for the previous three days, around two thousand people from Bastar, Dantewada, Sarguja, Jashpur, Kanker, Rajnandgaon, Raigadh, Bilaspur, Durg and Raipur districts reached Raipur station on the 8th morning. Many people from remote places of the northern and southern part of the State missed this protest due to commutation problem arose from unexpected climate change. The teams of people waited at Raipur station till noon for clean blue sky.

 

The demands in the mass petitions included are: to stop the displacement of tribal people in the name of state development, immediately to stop false public hearings, objections raised by Gram Sabha should be taken valid, immediate quashing of police cases on people and activists, proper implementation of Forest Rights Act and PESA law in the state.

 

Then rally staged at the legislative assembly accompanied by heavy pouring and freezing cold waves. At jail chowk (front of central jail, Raipur) hundreds of policemen and barricades blocked the way of rally. Rally was converted into huge public meeting which was addressed by Hirasingh Markam, President of Akhil Gondwana Mahasangh, Manish Kunjam, president of Adiwasi Mahasabha, C.R.Bakshee, C L Patelof adivasi Mahasabha, Sudha Bhardwaj from Chhattisgarh Visthapan Virodhi Manch, Mamata Kujur from Jamin Bachao Sangharsh Samiti and Alok Shukla from Campaign for Survival with Dignity. Ten people were arrested by police and were released immediately.

 

The delegation visited State Assembly to submit the petitions signed by one lakh people from all parts of the State demanding action on the six crucial issues of concern. These petitions were submitted to the Speaker of House Dharamlal Kaushik with the support of Ex-Chief Minister Ajit Jogi and MLA Kawasi Lakhama. The delegation briefed about demands to the Speaker and demanded to hold discussion in the House. There was no discussion in house as it was adjourned cutting short its session. It is expected that enquiry on the petitions will be made by the petition committee of the Assembly.