Vinod Nikole
RECENTLY the Left Parties in Maharashtra – CPI(M), CPI, PWP, CPI(ML), and LNP – mobilised over 50,000 people across Maharashtra to condemn and demand the immediate withdrawal of the Special Public Safety Bill being pushed by the BJP-led state government. Of these, 35,930 people were mobilised by the CPI(M) in several tehsils of 21 districts of the state.
This draconian Special Public Safety Bill, which has extremely arbitrary and authoritarian provisions which are even worse than those in the UAPA, was introduced in the last session of the state assembly by the Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP-NDA state government. It has yet to be adopted. Written opinions from political parties and the public have been sought, and thousands of serious objections have been submitted.
The largest district mobilisations in these statewide Left actions were in Thane-Palghar (22,100 in 10 centres), Solapur (7,000 in 2 centres), Nashik (5,000 in 7 centres), Ahilyanagar (1,500 in 1 centre), Mumbai (600 in 1 centre), Pune (480 in 2 centres), and so on. The above are the CPI(M)’s independent mobilisation figures.
The CPI(M) state committee meeting held in Mumbai on June 14 gave a call to join the united Left call for a large protest rally in Mumbai on June 30, on the first day of the state assembly session in which the government will attempt to pass this draconian Bill.
