THE Santal hool or rebellion of 1855 holds a prominent place in the history of our struggle for independence.  The Santal peasantry of what today comprises the Santal Pargana Commissionery of Jharkhand rebelled against the reckless exploitation of peasants and tribal communities by East India Company and zamindars acting as stooges of the British. The seventh state conference of CPI(M) Jharkhand committee was organised at Dumka from October 29-31, 2021 at the very heartland of the Santal rebellion.

It was resolved to build CPI(M) as a prominent political force in the state by intensifying struggles against the corporate-Hindutva nexus on one hand and organising the people of the state on issues concerning the peasantry, working class, tribals and other oppressed sections of the society and placing before them a pro-people alternative. Identification of burning issues and prompt political intervention was stressed upon by the delegates attending the conference.

The conference commenced with flag hoisting by Jyotin Soren  (ex MLA) and veteran leader of the Party, which was followed by a massive rally through the thoroughfares of Dumka city, that culminated in the open session of the conference. While addressing the open session, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Md Salim said that pro-corporate neoliberal policies and the consequent exploitation of the masses and the increasing attacks on constitutional values and democratic rights can only be resisted by a broad based Left unity. The session was also addressed by Brinda Karat, Party state secretary              G K Baksi, Randra Yadav of CPI, CPI(ML) MLA Binod Singh and Haldhar Mahato of Marxist Co-ordination Committee. Speaking on the occasion, Brinda Karat said that many innocent people from the tribal community in the state are languishing in jails and the current Hemant Soren government should take concrete steps for their release. She also spoke against the loot of national assets by the BJP led union government wherein one sector after the other is being opened up to serve vested interests of the corporates under pressure from global finance capital. She said that while our prime minister is meeting various international leaders at Rome, he does not have time to meet our farmers who have been protesting at his doorstep for a year.

In the delegate session, G K Baksi placed the political report while state secretariat member Prakash Viplav placed the organisational report. 71 delegates participated in the discussion on the report. In the political report, the defeat of BJP led government in the 2019 assembly elections was emphasized upon as the people gave a clear mandate against the pro-corporate, anti-worker, anti-tribal policies of the incumbent government and the communal polarisation upon which BJP was banking to win the elections. This was especially significant as in the preceding parliamentary elections, BJP won 12 out of 14 seats in the state. The incumbent government was afflicted by rampant corruption, attacks on minorities that led to 23 incidents of mob lynching and pro-corporate, anti-people policies. It even tried to erode the protection guaranteed by Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act and Santal Pargana Tenancy Act regarding land rights of tribals and other backward communities.

The new Hemant Soren government led by JMM in alliance with the Congress and the RJD has shown progressive shades in the last two years. One of the first steps taken by the government was to revoke falsely implicated sedition cases on thousands of peasants in Khunti District. Hemant Soren has also taken a progressive stance on various issues including CAA/NRC, the ongoing farmer’s movement, etc. But much more is expected from this government especially with regard to ground level implementation of various announcements made by the chief minister. Though announcements were made by him against the amendments to labour laws by the central government, the labour department of the state has already taken steps for enactment of the amended laws without consulting the trade unions operating in Jharkhand. Similarly other announcements like providing 10 lakh jobs under the new industrial and investment policy, free 100 units of electricity to every household, waiver of agricultural loans etc are yet to be properly implemented. Also Jharkhand being a food deficient state it is expected that the government works to improve the state of agriculture in Jharkhand.

11 resolutions were passed by the conference including on the demand for provision of administrative and financial powers to the panchayats and party based panchayat elections, unemployment, inflation, sale of national assets, amendment of labour laws and farm laws, rollback of land pool policy, constitution of a commission for the displaced, enactment of the PESA Act, strengthening of food security and public health care and impact of Covid on education.

Amiya Patra emphasized on increasing the activities of the branch, training of the branch secretaries and improving the ideological level of Party members to increase the penetration of the Party in politics of the state.

Suki Soren, from Chakulia East Singhbhum along with her mother was attacked by a violent mob on charges of witchcraft. She saved her mother and fought back. She was an observer at the Jharkhand state conference where she was felicitated by Brinda Karat and Shibali Pal.

A 35-member state committee and a 11-member state secretariat was elected at the conference and Prakash Viplav was elected as the new state secretary.

At the concluding session, Brinda Karat called upon the delegates to identify class issues in the state. The issues of displacement, forced migration and migrant workers need to be addressed and people need to be organised on these lines for further intensification of struggles, she said.