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Revolutionary peasant movement is on resurgence in Banka and Jamui districts of
Bihar after a brief nod of lull. Before presenting a report of the present
struggles let us have a brief account of earlier struggles.
Bhagalpur area has been a very old centre for tribal and peasant movements. It
has the honour of witnessing many historical movements. It had been a cradle
centre of many a Santhali rebellion, the most famous among them being the one
led by Tilka Majhi against the British in the last quarter of the 18th century.
Banka district was carved out of Bhagalpur in 1992, including in it twelve
blocks. Revolutionary peasant movement began in the area after the Naxalbari
revolt and has undergone many ups and downs. In the late eighties, there were
efforts to reorganise the movement. At that time, the peasant movement was led
in the main by the Progressive Students and Youth Front (PSYF) in Belhar block
of Banka district. This was popularly known as PS party. Later Janwadi Kisan
Samithi was constituted. It was renamed as Janwadi Mazdoor Kisan Samithi in
1996, which merged with Mazdoor Kisan Sangrami larrishad (MKSP), Bihar in
February, 1999.
Between 1989 and 1997 many struggles were waged against the Raj put landlords of
Belhar. Rajput landlords were economically and politically very powerful though
they are only 7% of the population in the area. Yadays, Kumbhars, Koers together
constitute nearly half of the population Yadavs being the single largest
community. Dalits including chamars (known as Ravi Dasas), Turis, Khairas or
Nayyars etc., constitute about 15% and Santhals constitute about 8%.
Revolutionary movement has dealt a strong blow to the political and social
domination of Rajput landlords. Moreover the political changes in the state
during the past decade have propelled some of the dalal yadavs into a
politically strong position and owing to the higher numerical number and strong
caste feeling there is a general social domination of Yadavs in general over
others. This is a gerneral social picture of the area.
Under the leadership of PSYF and JMKS there was an upheaval of the politically
and socially oppressed and the economically exploited classes. A new hope was
raised among these classes. Thousands of people rallied under the banner of the
organisation. They fought for economic gains such as higher share for share
croppers raising the share from 40% to 50%, imposing ban on sale of the
landlords land; seizing the Bhoodan land etc., allotted to the poor, but which
remained under the occupation of the landlord and the rich peasants; seizing the
fish ponds etc., The importance of fighting social oppression cannot be
undermined. The revolutionary movement inspired a sense of pride among these
classes and especially among the dalits. Dalits in some villages could not even
wear chappals which passing in front of the houses of Rajputs. This was fought
by imposing social boycott on such families and finally they surrender before
the organisation. Campaign against patriarchal oppression was carried out.
Campaign against drinking habit were also done and in many villages alcohol
preparation was banned. Above all these, the politics of armed struggle and of
seizure of power were propagated while conducting many programmes like birth
anniversary of Tilka Manjhi, Shahid diwas on March,23rd and July 28th and
observing May Day, Bolshevik and Chinese Revolution days etc. A heavy blow was
meted out to the political power of landlords, village gentry etc., through Jan
Adalats and Panchayats and the political power was seized at the village level
by the village committees of JMKS have sowing the seeds for area-wise seizure of
power.
Threatened by the ever increasing influence of the organisation, all the
landlords and goondas united to wipe out the organisation and turn back the
wheel of history. They attempted many attacks on the organisation culminating in
the killing of com. Vishnu Dev in a very brutal manner by inviting him to some
function and beheading him. As a retaliation to this, an attempt was made in
February 1997 to assassinate Susheel Yaday, a notorious BJP goonda, who
masterminded com. Vishnu Dev's murder. The attempt failed. This was useful for
all the reactionaries of the area to use it as an excuse for launching an
offensive on the organisation by using state machinery. Thirty two important
leaders of the area were implicated in the case and a repressive campaign was
launched. The houses were destroyed and property was confiscated. Apart from
these leaders, many an important cadre were threatened of dire consequences if
they continued in the organisation. In June 1997 police and goondas together
brutally attacked a women's rally in Belhar. Such repression was a new
experience for the organisation and for the people of this area. Ii took some
time to come to terms with the repression and with constant efforts of the
organisation the people are once again coming forward and many struggles are
launched. The following is a brief report of the recent struggles.
MERGER OF JMKS AND MKSP
There is a need for the unity of all revolutionary organisations in the country.
Rising to fulfil this need Janwadi Mazdoor Kisan Sanghathan (JMKS), Banka
decided to merge with Mazdoor Kisari Sangrami Parishad (MKSP), Bihar. On this
occasion a rally and public meeting were organised at Mahuatand village of
Belhar block. More than two thousand people from Belhar, Chandan, Laxmipur and
Jhajha blocks attended the meeting. This ('pen meeting after a period of nearly
two years greatly inspired the people of the area. Bhim Singh, Nakul Prasad and
Mahesh Yadav of JMKS, Rain Nivas of MKS P, Arjun Singh of AIPRF and Sunitha of
Nari Mukthi Sangharsh Samithi spoke on the occasion.
The significance of this meeting was that it once again built the confidence of
the people of the whole area for this was the open public programme after a
period of two years. Immediately after the meeting very significant struggles
like the fight for rights over a tank and fish in Ulhi village broke out.
ULHI STRUGGLE FOR RIGHTS OVER TANKAND FISH
There is a nearly hundred year old tank in Ulhi village of Belhar block. It
occupies an area of 17 acres. The people of the village used to raise fish
in the tank and enjoy the fruits collectively. But for the past two years a
reactionary and goonda of the same village, Subhash Yadav, gave the tank on
lease for ten years in the name of a stooge of him, Sunder Tudu,because ten year
contract is given only in the name of Adivasi. He stopped giving any shares to
the villagers. After their protest, he agreed to give them 25% share but
didn't honour even that. When the people tried to stop him from fishing on
February 11, he attacked them with his goondas. Then the people approached the
MKSP. MKSP organised all the people of the village and mobilised activists even
from other villages to resist and retaliate against Subhash Yadav. On 5th
March99, when Subhash Yadav once again mobilised all his goondas and tried to
fish out all the fishes on a single day using a very big net, about 600 people
including 100 women attacked the goondas with all the weapons available right
from stones spears, axes, bow and arrows to fire arms. All the goondas took to
heels. The people seized the net worth Rs. 50,000 and two bicycles.
Failing in these attempts, the goondas poisoned the tank and blamed the
organisation and a case was filed against the activists of the village. Opposing
this case Belhar police station was gheraoed on 17.4.99 in which 400 men and
women of five nearby villages participated. The police had to bow before the
people and withdrew the case and later even cancelled the 10-year lease on the
tank. Now the people are once again getting ready to give fish seed in the tank
collectively.
PEOPLE SEIZE ABOUT 200 ACRES OF THE NOTORIOUS JOGIATILLA ZAMINDAR
Isaac Miyan is a notorious landlord of Jogiatillah village of Jhajha Block,
Jamui district. He had about 1100 acres of land most of it by forcible
occupation after evicting the owner peasants. Using funds of the forest
department, funds, 1500 Seesham trees were also planted in about 40 acres of
land. During 1994 the landless Dalit peasants of Sangra raised the banner of
revolt against this notorious Zamindar and seized about 200 acres of land and
stopped him in his attempts to cut the trees and fell them. Even with the help
of the police also he was not successful in his attempts.
Taking advantage of the repression on JMKS since Feb '97, Isaac Miyan attempted
once again to launch an attack on the people of Sangra. He mobilised goondas and
tried to attack Guru Manjhi with crude bombs, while he was ploughing his field
in the last week of August'98. Guru Manjhi saw them and fled from there. Then
they threw bombs on his house and burnt it partially. Soon after, the villagers
organised themselves under the leadership of the organisation and formed village
defence squads. All the children and the women started carrying dindoors to rain
stones on goondas. To terrorise the villagers Isaac Miyan started exploding
bombs near his house once in a while for quite a number of days but the
villagers stood steadfast and were on their vigil. In the third week of
September '98and 12 goondas armed with country made bombs and 3, 4 guns attacked
the village at around 12 noon. Seeing that the goondas were approaching the
village all the youth, children and women confronted the goondas mainly with
arrows and stones. Two rounds were also fired. Unable to withstand the rain of
stones and arrows goondas made good their escape. This boosted the morale of the
people tremendously and the morale of Isaac Miyan started falling. To further
beat down their morale a public meeting was organised on 25 September in Sangra.
This was also aimed at breaking the stagnation in all the struggle areas of
Belhar and Chandan blocks. The public meeting was a huge success with about
400-450 people attending it. In that meeting it was declared that the right over
all the Seesham trees would be that of all the people of that area. Realising
that Isaac Miyan was after the nearly 1500 Seesham trees worth a few lakhs of
rupees the organisation decided to mobilise people in a big way and distribute
the trees to them. It was also announced that the rest of the land of Isaac
Miyan would also be occupied. About 10 farmers had cultivated this land as
sharecroppers. Organisation spoke to the farmers and told them not to pay the
50% share to Isaac Miyan and that this share of the crop would be harvested
collectively by the people; Terrorised at this prospect of loosing his main
source of income Isaac Miyan tried to mobilise goondas in a big way for
harvesting of the crop. In the second week of November one of the goondas of
Isaac Miyan under drunken condition threw a bomb on a peasant who went to Isaac
Miyan's house to give his share of crop from a different field. After this
incident, fearing the rage of farmers of Jogitilla also, die goondas fled his
house. The goondas were chased and handed over the police. The next day the
activists mobilised from all over the area, and the Sangra activists searched
the house of Isaac Miyan for any hidden weapons and goondas (Isaac Miyan was
living not in the village but at Jhajha, the block head quarters). This search
of an exzamindar's house was prestige question to him. The same day, two dalals
were chased, caught and were made to apologize before the people for their
connections with Isaac Miyan and were told to severe them. Some other dalals
voluntarily surrendered. Thus the power of the people started rising. The next
day nearly 200 men and women were mobilised and under a festive mood then
harvested paddy in about 14 acres leaving about 70 % of the crop for the
farmers. 3040 armed activists were on guard against any attack. One of the
brothers of Isaac Miyan, Mr.Tayyab Miyan, pleaded with the organisation and the
people that he had never sided with his brother and would not do so in future
also. So, his crop was not seized.
Then a ban was imposed on sale, purchase of Isaac Miyan's lands. A red flag was
hoisted on all his lands. Even sharecroppers were stopped from cul4vating, for
the present. This ban will hold good till Isaac Miyan surrenders before the
people and the organisation.
The 200 acres of land, which were under the occupation of the peasants since
1994, was very unevenly occupied. In June and July '99 the organisation
distributed the land evenly to all the landless and poor peasants based on the
number of persons in a family. This was done after leaving a major chunk of the
land to the peasants who had some tide deeds to the land but were never
respected by Isaac Miyan.
After this struggle Sangra is turning out into a never centre of the struggles
of the area. People from far away places are also approaching the organisation
in the village to start organisation in their villages.
OCCUPATION OF GOVERNMENT LAND FOR CULTIVATION
The hollowness of land distribution of land to the landless by the government
has been well exposed over all these years. There is a 40 acre piece of
government land on the banks of a rivulet Khandvarni, separating chandan and
Beihar blocks. A notorious goonda of Bela Ish war Yadav whose family owns 35
acres of fertile land claimed that he got 20 acres of the Gair Mazrua
(government) land on his name as 'Bandobasti' land by the DCLR of Banka. When
the government distributes land it distributes to such landless' people like Ish
war Yadav who owns 35 acres of land!
MKSP mobilised nearly 250 men and women from Bagru, Tarakuda, Bela, Mahuatand,
Charui Damgi, Hardia, Tilak Nagar, Sangra and other villages and after a rally
and sloganeering a red flag was hoisted on that piece of land as a symbol of the
right of landless and poor peasants over all such cultivable lands. This was
done on 3rd July. MKSP is now preparing the people to start cultivation in this
season. This struggle and its success would have a great impact on the people of
the area, as it would be a great challenge to all the reactionaries of the area.
A NEW VILLAGE, VISHNU DEV NAGAR ON FOREST DEPARTMENT LAND
In Jhajha block, there are landless agricultural labourers and poor peasants in
every village. There are also vast tracts of forest department land, which are
devoid of even a single tree. Distribution of these lands among the landless and
poor peasants can go a long way in the amelioration of their lives.
MKSP organised landless and poor peasants of Jhopa, Gudihara, Baijala and Jharna
of Thajha and Laxmipur blocks of Jamui district and formed a village building
committee. Under the leadership of this committee nearly 100 families of these
villages occupied a huge tract of a few hundreds of acres of fertile wastelands
of forest department in the Jia jungle in the border of Laxmipur and Jhajha
blocks. On 17th May, dozens of huts were built in this Jia jungle. This was
named as Vishnu Dev Nagar after the martyr comrade Vishnu Dev. For the present,
every family was distributed about 25 decimals of land. Thus a total of 25 acres
was occupied. There is a plan to distribute at least an acre of land for each
family of an average size of six members. As most of the people did not even
have ploughs, bulls etc., MKSP organised these necessary items from neighbouring
villages and ploughing was taken up collectively on June 24. Forest department
officials have been issuing threats indirectly. Once about seven officials came
to the new village but as soon as they saw youth and women armed with indigenous
weapons coming towards the village hearing the beat of 'Nagara' (drums), they
were terrorised and pleaded that they would not harass the people and so to
spare them. The department is also trying carrot method by asking them to apply
to the collector to allocate them some "Gair Mazrua" and for residential
purpose. But what peasants need is land for cultivation and not just for
residing. So, instead of developing any illusion about these empty promises they
are realising that officials came down to them with these offers only because of
their struggle. Hence they are determined to stick to their land on the strength
of their collective struggle only.
GHERAO OF BELHARAND BELHAR AND CHAN DAN BLOCK OFFICES
MKSP mobilised about 300-400 people in Belhar area on 24th May to gherao Belhar
block over various issues such as allotment of houses under Indira AwaasYojana,
issuing of Red cards, Hand pumps etc., Bowing before the collective strength of
the people the BDO "allotted" 100 colonies to MKSP i.e., MKSP can allot these
100 houses to the suitable persons in the villages of Belhar block. MKSP has
submitted the list of more than 100 eligible persons from about 15 villages and
allotment is awaited after the election. Earlier MLA and dalals of Block office
used to collect a commission even upto Rs.5000/- from the allotted
Rs.20,000. The allotment by MKSP means a stop 10 this and a blow to the dalals
and also the MLA of Belhar.
Like wise Chandan block office was also gheraoed by 200-250 people even under a
pouring rain on 12th June.
Let us hope the resurgance of the protest movement in Banka and Jamui will soon
create new Red War Front in Bihar.
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