The police launched an unscathed attack on the Zameen Prapt Sangharsh Committee activists who have being waging a grim battle for their rights. Thousands of dalits were victims of brutal lathi charge.in Morinda, in front of the Chief minister’s house,Charnjit Singh Channi. It illustrated the true anti-people colours of the ruling classes and how pretentious they were. It testifies how much a thorn in the flesh the ZPSC has been to the goal s of the ruling classes, in challenging the monopoly of the upper castes over land rights. Every democrat must salute the heroism of the landless dalits in resisting the police assault. In recent years the ZPSC has been in the forefront of the dalit agricultural labour struggle, in Punjab, confronting the rulers at their strongest point. The attack is a warning that the people must prepare to face major blows from the administration in coming times, who are sharpening their weapons to the utmost point, to preserve the Brahmanical social order.
I spoke to ZPSC leader Mukesh Maloudh who narrated the intensity of rage of the protestors.Inspite of no militant slogans being raised at first, and only a peaceful gathering, the police launched an attack. Earlier the chief minister had requested that no protest should take place in Morandi and only a meeting with the dalits.In Maloudh’s view the incident was a perfect portrayal of how it was so important to merge caste struggle with class struggle and there could be no more ample example how chief minister Chinni was camouflaging himself as a saviour of the dalits.After the attack a massive confrontation or tussle occurred with 16 protestors injured .The dalit activists displayed fighting spirit of an army battalion., not prepared to leave the site of protest. Around 1500 people participated.
Releasing a statement to the press, Zonal President of the Land Acquisition Struggle Committee, Mukesh Maloudh and Finance Secretary Bikar Singh Hathoa said that the Land Acquisition Struggle committee have been struggling for their share of lands for a sustained duration but no ruling party has redressed their issues. The demands have not been resolved. He said Dalits demanding their rights are being tortured daily by revenue minister Dhanad Chaudharyan, even sometimes in villages they face social boycott. He said there had been a ray of hope among Dalits after becoming Chief Minister Charanjit Channi as the face of SC for the first time in Punjab. So under the leadership of land acquisition struggle committee, thousands of dalits, took third part of struggle for panchayat land for Dalits, capturing unconditional ownership rights of Nazool Society land, distributing land under the jurisdiction of the land ceilings act among baseless people, five five marlas to needy families by giving plots, forgiving all loans of labourers including microfinance companies, incorporating members in co-operative assembly to arrange government loans, cancelling all false cases filed during the struggle and abolishing the oppression on Dalits including village Dullar and resolving the hanging land issues. Thousands of people assembled near the railway station in the city of Morinda today on demands etc. and then marched to the room for meeting where the police force blocked Dalits on the way by putting barricades. The ZPSC committee blocked the road at the same place. On this occasion, after a three-hour conversation with the administration, the Dalits were badly injured by lathicharge. Leaders said that even if the Chief Minister projects a dalit face, the Congress policy is the same. After the lathicharge, Zonal Secretary Paramjit Kaur Longowal and Gurwinder Bouda announced that Congress ministers, including the Chief Minister, will be surrounded in villages and a much more acute struggle will be waged in the coming days.
On this occasion, the senior leader of the land acquisition struggle committee Dharampal Noorkhedian Jaswant Singh Kheri Satnam Rajla etc addressed. Dharamveer Harigadh played the role of stage secretary.
Punjab Students Union, Punjab Radical Students Union and Naujawan Bharat Sabha issued statements condemning the lathi charge on dalits. Solidarity was also expressed by Krantikari pendu Mazdoor Union and Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union.
On October 21st a meeting is planned with the administration.
Harsh Thakor is a freelance journalist.Toured India,particularly Punjab .Written on Mass movements ,,Massline,Maoism on blogs like Democracy and Class Struggle and frontierweekly.He has frequently attended rallies of the Zameen Prapt Sangarsh Commitee.
