The Mazdoor Sangahatna Samiti of Jharkhand staged its 6th conference on 30th-31st May in Kucchi Bhavan in Maduban in Girdih district, .Around 250 -persons participated in a 3 day event of most qualitative significance in the working class movement.
Defying a ban imposed last year in pretext of being a Maoist Front in November the Mazdoor Sanghatana Samiti valiantly resurrected itself like a phoenix from the Ashes .Numbers may not have been big, but the determination of the activists to confront ruling class opression was praiseworthy. Representatives attended from Punjab, Haryana,Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand. The hoisting of the flag lit the first spark of the event. The preparations for this event defying the tentacles of govt attacks, was noteworthy. Most encouraging witnessing the enthusiastic participation of women. Perhaps the presence of leaders from South India was missing.
The Central themes of the meet focussed on how the ruling govt was completely alienating the working class by non implementation of labour laws guaranteeing a 8 hour work day, right to work, a proper living wage ,proper medical facilities ,housing etc.,on revoking the unconstitutional ban on the Mazdoor Sanghatana Samiti being framed a ‘Maoist outfit ‘ and to fulfill the promise of the govt.to permit the workers hospital. to be re-started. Till this day the doors of the workers hospital have remained closed.
Most impactful plays and songs were performed by a a cultural group and a vociferous rally thronged the town sparkling the flame of resistance. Slogans were raised exposing how the workers were betrayed by the rulers, denying them the basic rights and how all the economic policies squeezed the workers to semi-slavery. A most festive song was sung by Baccha Singh,Vishwa Vajai and Ipshita which struck the very chord of the delegates.
Heartening to witness solidarity by activists from other parts of North India like Seema Azad.,editor of Dastak.Prominent participants in the event were Kulwant Singh Selwar,,Tara Singh,Shiv Kumar, Ashsih Mondal.Vishu Vishu and Jagseer Singh.
At the conclusion a 33 member committee was elected comprising Hublal Rai,Rajjak Ansari,Sumitra Murmu,Krishna Kumar,Thanuram Mahto and Baccha Singh.
This organisation earlier remarkably withstood the tide of Operation Green Hunt when many an open mass organization was dubbed a ‘Maoist front. in 2017 .It conducted commemoration programmes of the 50th year of Naxalbari and Centenary of the Russian Revolution. in places like Giridh and Ranchi with fraternal organisations and also staged effective resistance programmes challenging the arrests of it’s lead’s framed in 2018 and on the bans imposed in 2019 and later 2021.
On May 28th it staged a most impressive programme in memory o International Workers day in Bokaro,at the Thermal plant.Secretary Baccha Singh redressed issues like how the stranglehold of the working class was being tightened further day by day with the 44 laws introduced patronising the hegemony of the corporates.In his view exploitation of workers was intensifying day by day. He spoke about how the rulers were leaving no stone unturned in suppressing movements of workers and framing all genuine democratic leaders of workers.Baccha Singh narrated how Neo-fascism was manifested not only in th imposition of ban on the MSS but the concerted attacks of the police or demonstrations of workers and activists. The need for a sustained movement to provoke this trend was imperative, in his view. He illustrated with examples how the MSS confronted it’s labelling as a Maoist Front.”In detail the importance of May Day was projected and how the working class had a capacity to build it’s own power. Sections of Adivasis who were employed as part time workers,attended this events .So it was useful platform to link the workers issues with that of the Adivasis.
Whatever any differences with it’s ideology I feel all democrats should give utmost solidarity to the work of the Mazdor Sanghatana Samiti, who are with fists of iron confronting the opression on the working class and resolutely oppose Brahmanical fascism.Their experience is an ample illustration of the way an organisation withstands neo -fascism to survive.
Harsh Thakor is a freelance journalist who has attended a programme of the Mazdoor Sanghatana Samiti in November 2017 on the Russian Revolution and State Repression and interviewed leader Baccha Singh.
