PaRCha - JNU - AISA material - 2012 ID-30531
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achieve political stability. For instance, in spite of repeated promises, the Jharkhand government has failed to issue any new ration card or red card for the rural poor. .
Right from the beginning, CPI(ML) has recognised this inbuilt paradox of Jharkhand, championing the aspirations of its people with the agenda of Jharkhand Punarnirman, and combining our active and vibrant voice in the Assembly with militant mass struggles on the streets. This has expanded our profile both in terms of political identity and social support. .
Intervening in the political situation in Jharkhand, CPI(ML) has conducted a concerted mass political campaign in Jharkhand over the past couple of months. Below we look at the backdrop and experiences of that campaign. .
New Paths of Corporate Plunder.
The Arjun Munda Governments latest ploy to expand the scope of corporate loot has been an amendment in the states mining policy, placed last August in the Assembly session. Generally, lumps of iron ore (of relatively big size) are extracted for the production of steel. In this process, fines (granules of iron ore) are also produced which cannot be used in steel production. Recently, China has developed a specific technology to exploit the fines in the process of steel production. Reports suggest that China has adopted the policy of keeping the reserve of iron ore in its country intact as far as possible, maintaining the major part of steel production through importing fines. In Jharkhand, 80-90% of iron mines are captive mines. The proposed amendment suggests that captive mines be allowed to sell fines in the open market. Of course, the amendment does not propose that these fines be directly exported (though this distinction is meaningless, since there cannot be any meaningful restriction of export via any party in the internal open market). Moreover, the amendment suggests that the size of fines be changed, thereby facilitating the smuggling of lumps of smaller size in the name of fines. .
The lone CPI(ML) MLA, Comrade Vinod Singh, raised a powerful voice against this proposed amendment. Gradually, more or less the entire opposition, especially the JVM, actively joined this protest. When the Government seemed all set to go ahead despite repeated adjournment of the Assembly session and heated debates, Comrade Vinod, along with more or less the entire opposition, began a silent sit-in demonstration in front of the well of the house. The Government insisted on proceeding, ignoring this all-out protest inside the Assembly. Eventually, the Assembly session concluded with a postponement of the amendment of the mining policy, instead of rejection as demanded by the Opposition. .
Meanwhile, the Munda Cabinet adopted the proposed amendment, bypassing the Assembly. In the next winter session in November 2011, Comrade Vinod repeatedly raised his voice against this new mining policy and its undemocratic implementation. The Assembly deliberately refused to debate the issue or respond to his objections. Even the entire Opposition, including the JVM MLAs, kept silent on the issue, leading to speculations about a deal of crores of rupees involving corporates, Government and Opposition parties. .
CPI(ML) took up an intense campaign against corruption and corporate loot, exposing the new mining policy of the Munda government, being introduced with the collusion of all ruling class forces in the state. .
.
Some Recent Experiences of Struggle and Expansion .
Chandankyari block of Bokaro district .
This block is an emerging industrial hub, with Electrosteel Company, private coal mining, ONGCs methane gas plant, and a mega-power plant which is a joint venture of NTPC & SAIL. This block is witnessing a belated reaction by farmers displaced by the Electrosteel Company, which accumulated small tracts of land at nominal prices through a network of middlemen, instead of land acquisition by the government with standard compensation, and also the anger of contract workers engaged in construction for the same company. .
Comrade Vinods intervention in the Assembly resulted in the formation of a House Committee (of which Comrade Vinod is a member) to investigate the land acquisition and status of contract workers of the Electrosteel company. The Bokaro district Party also led several protest movements, organising displaced farmers and contract .
.
.
.
PaRCha - JNU - AISA material - 2012 ID-30531
.
achieve political stability. For instance, in spite of repeated promises, the Jharkhand government has failed to issue any new ration card or red card for the rural poor. .
Right from the beginning, CPI(ML) has recognised this inbuilt paradox of Jharkhand, championing the aspirations of its people with the agenda of Jharkhand Punarnirman, and combining our active and vibrant voice in the Assembly with militant mass struggles on the streets. This has expanded our profile both in terms of political identity and social support. .
Intervening in the political situation in Jharkhand, CPI(ML) has conducted a concerted mass political campaign in Jharkhand over the past couple of months. Below we look at the backdrop and experiences of that campaign. .
New Paths of Corporate Plunder.
The Arjun Munda Governments latest ploy to expand the scope of corporate loot has been an amendment in the states mining policy, placed last August in the Assembly session. Generally, lumps of iron ore (of relatively big size) are extracted for the production of steel. In this process, fines (granules of iron ore) are also produced which cannot be used in steel production. Recently, China has developed a specific technology to exploit the fines in the process of steel production. Reports suggest that China has adopted the policy of keeping the reserve of iron ore in its country intact as far as possible, maintaining the major part of steel production through importing fines. In Jharkhand, 80-90% of iron mines are captive mines. The proposed amendment suggests that captive mines be allowed to sell fines in the open market. Of course, the amendment does not propose that these fines be directly exported (though this distinction is meaningless, since there cannot be any meaningful restriction of export via any party in the internal open market). Moreover, the amendment suggests that the size of fines be changed, thereby facilitating the smuggling of lumps of smaller size in the name of fines. .
The lone CPI(ML) MLA, Comrade Vinod Singh, raised a powerful voice against this proposed amendment. Gradually, more or less the entire opposition, especially the JVM, actively joined this protest. When the Government seemed all set to go ahead despite repeated adjournment of the Assembly session and heated debates, Comrade Vinod, along with more or less the entire opposition, began a silent sit-in demonstration in front of the well of the house. The Government insisted on proceeding, ignoring this all-out protest inside the Assembly. Eventually, the Assembly session concluded with a postponement of the amendment of the mining policy, instead of rejection as demanded by the Opposition. .
Meanwhile, the Munda Cabinet adopted the proposed amendment, bypassing the Assembly. In the next winter session in November 2011, Comrade Vinod repeatedly raised his voice against this new mining policy and its undemocratic implementation. The Assembly deliberately refused to debate the issue or respond to his objections. Even the entire Opposition, including the JVM MLAs, kept silent on the issue, leading to speculations about a deal of crores of rupees involving corporates, Government and Opposition parties. .
CPI(ML) took up an intense campaign against corruption and corporate loot, exposing the new mining policy of the Munda government, being introduced with the collusion of all ruling class forces in the state. .
.
Some Recent Experiences of Struggle and Expansion .
Chandankyari block of Bokaro district .
This block is an emerging industrial hub, with Electrosteel Company, private coal mining, ONGCs methane gas plant, and a mega-power plant which is a joint venture of NTPC & SAIL. This block is witnessing a belated reaction by farmers displaced by the Electrosteel Company, which accumulated small tracts of land at nominal prices through a network of middlemen, instead of land acquisition by the government with standard compensation, and also the anger of contract workers engaged in construction for the same company. .
Comrade Vinods intervention in the Assembly resulted in the formation of a House Committee (of which Comrade Vinod is a member) to investigate the land acquisition and status of contract workers of the Electrosteel company. The Bokaro district Party also led several protest movements, organising displaced farmers and contract .
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.
.