Massive public campaign planned in Tamil Nadu

The Ghadar Jari Hai campaign is gathering speed in many parts of India. Plans are being worked out by the Ghadar Jari Hai Committee in Tamil Nadu to launch a massive public campaign to create awareness on the lessons of the 1857 Ghadar and discuss current issues facing the people.

Nearly sixty organizations of workers, peasants and women -- under the leadership of the Unorganised Sector Workers federation, NAPM and the Lok Raj Sangathan -- came together in November 2005 to conduct a state-wide campaign on the current political process and the necessity for people to take power in their own hands.

These organizations have come together under the banner of the Ghadar Jari Hai Campaign. In the last week of May, activists from Makklatchi Iyakkam (Lok Raj Sangathan), Katada Thozhilar Panchayat Sangham, Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam, Pennurimai Iyakkam, Simpson General workers Union, Unorganized Workers Federation, All India Hand Embroidery workers Union, Federation of Construction workers unions, Makkal Mandrum - Kanchipuram, Marxiya Meignana Koodam, Indian Republic Workers Union, Domestic Workers Union conducted a planning meeting to work out the details of the campaign.

On June 17 th, the Committee met again in Chennai and decided that massive district level campaigns will be held in the months of August-October throughout the length and breadth of the state. District-level campaign committees were set up and plans were made to prepare propaganda material for the campaign consisting of posters, leaflets, booklets, presentations, songs, etc. Along with popularizing the struggles of people everywhere, and particularly tamil Nadu, against the British colonialists, the Committee also decided to campaign on current issues facing the working people of Tamil Nadu.

Crores of workers belonging to the unorganized sector have been campaigning for a comprehensive legislation on social security ensuring their recognition as workers and protecting their rights such as security of work and livelihood, pension, provident fund, life and accident insurance, etc and demanding that the state set apart a minimum amount of three per cent in their budget for their welfare. Big corporations, with the connivance of the state government, have been grabbing agricultural land for setting up Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in several parts of the state. Workers, peasants and the residents of the area have been determinedly opposing this land grab and the plan to set up zones where the workers will have no rights. This is similar to the colonialists setting up the East India Company, whose rights superseded the rights of the Indian people, and the entire labour and natural resources of the country were put at its disposal. People have also been conducting massive agitations against the expansion plans of the Chennai Meenambakkam airport and Coimbatore airport which will result in massive eviction of people, establishments and small traders from the area. Women workers in the textile mills have been fighting against the intolerable working conditions in the mills where they literally work as bonded labourers. In Chennai, the Municpal Corporation is hell bent on evicting the people living near the sea coast in the name of beautifying Nehru Nagar. Many environmental protection groups, human rights activists and peoples organizations have been campaigning against the disastrous effects of the Koodangulam nuclear plant being built in Tirunelveli district.

Immediately after that several district planning meetings were held. On June 30 th a planning meeting was held in the NAPM office in Madurai to decide on dates and activities for the southern districts. On July 7-9, district level planning meetings were held in Tiruchi, Karaikudi and Tuticorin respectively. It was decided that on August 10 th a massive rally will be held in Sivagangai. In Kanyakumari district, a district-wide mass public campaign will be conducted between August 16-19.