A joint statewide workshop of the Jati Ant Sangharsh Samiti - JASS (Maharashtra state chapter of DSMM), Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch – AARM, and the Alpasankhyak Hakk Sangharsh Samiti – AHSS, was held at the B T Ranadive Bhawan in New Mumbai on February 18, 2026. It was attended by 236 leading activists from 22 districts.

This workshop was organised against the backdrop of the alarming increase in attacks on, and discrimination against, these three marginalised and oppressed social sections in the last 11 years of the Modi government at the centre and in the state. In his introductory remarks, CPI(M) State Secretary Dr Ajit Nawale briefly explained these challenges and discussed the initiatives to be taken by these three platforms to overcome them. The perspectives of these three socially marginalized groups and the major problems they are facing today were presented in an erudite and comprehensive manner by Sehba Farooqui (Minority), Vikram Singh (Dalit), Vinod Nikole, MLA, and Amol Waghmare (Tribal).

In her speech, Sehba Farooqui, a member of the CPI(M) Delhi state secretariat, who has worked in and for the minority community since long, gave several concrete examples of how the communal attacks on Muslims, Christians, Dalits and women have sharply increased after the Modi regime came to power in 2014. Countering the concept of appeasement of minorities, she drew attention to the Justice Sachar Committee Report of 2005-06 which had underlined the extremely backward condition of Muslims in India. She emphasized that the right to health, education and employment of Muslims is not a favour but it is their constitutional right as self-respecting citizens of this country who remained here after Partition because this country was promised to be secular. Therefore, we should join in with full force wherever there is a fight for these demands and get these basic rights. Society will progress only if social reforms, education of girls, entry of women into education, employment and public life are encouraged. Communal polarisation has erased our class identities as workers-farmers-agricultural labourers and trapped us in the framework of religion and caste. We should not forget the history of the RSS-BJP, which always supported imperialism and the rich ruling classes and broke the unity of the common people. Today’s battle is not about religion and caste, but about bread, rights, language, culture, and for a radical social transformation.

On behalf of the Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch, CPI(M) Central Committee member Vinod Nikole spoke of the various burning issues before Adivasis today. He also recounted the vigorous and victorious struggles on these issues, like the recent Long Marches in Palghar and Nashik districts. If it is a fight for their land and other basic issues, they come to the Red Flag. But that is not enough. He explained how the RSS, BJP and Sangh Parivar are infiltrating among Adivasis through their Vanvasi Kalyan Ashrams and so on. The RSS practices slow poisoning, through individual contacts, ideological penetration, and the massive use of money, media, and muscle power. We must fight the RSS-BJP politically with greater strength and unity.

Dr Amol Waghmare, State Joint Secretary of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), who has a doctorate on tribal culture, explained that there are many more issues of the tribals which need to be addressed beyond Jal-Jungle-Jameen (water-forest-land). We must intervene in the multiple issues related to their education, employment, health, language, culture and social environment. There are 45 tribes in the state, but they are not at all uniform, there is immense diversity among them. We have ignored the rich culture, history, dialects, and literature of tribals and the great contribution and sacrifices made by tribal patriots and revolutionaries. While countering the separatist trends emerging amongst some sections of Adivasis, he also stressed that it is only the joint struggle of tribals and non-tribals which can succeed in solving their issues and changing society.

The third session was by Dr Vikram Singh, member of the CPI(M) Central Secretariat, Joint Secretary of the All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU) and also of the Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch (DSMM). He clarified that the Dalit Manch is not confined only to our Dalit activists, it is for all those who are working in and for that section of society. There is a misconception among us that if Dalit issues are raised, class unity will get weakened. However, we should realise that this battle is a joint struggle of both caste and class. Caste was not innate and exploitation based on caste has always been convenient for the upper castes and classes. It is an easy opportunity for them to get the maximum freedom to exploit, with minimum violence, because they can then blame all their acts on the caste system. Therefore, a lot of ideological and political work needs to be done in this field. While certainly fighting for the rights of these oppressed social sections, we should combine this with the larger class battle in society.

The state in-charges and convenors of all three platforms M H Shaikh, Rehana Shaikh, Shailendra Kamble, Babruwahan Potbhare, and Kiran Gahala placed their views on what is needed to be done to strengthen these social platforms in the state.  

The concluding speeches of the workshop were by CPI(M) Polit Bureau members Mariam Dhawale, Nilotpal Basu, and Dr Ashok Dhawale. Stating that, as per the last 2011 Census figures, these three socially oppressed sections together constitute nearly 40 per cent of the population of India, and nearly 33 per cent of the population of Maharashtra, they stressed and reiterated three cardinal points. First, the urgent necessity to take up simultaneously the issues of both class exploitation and social oppression. Second, the crucial importance of combating the rabidly communal, Manuwadi, pro-corporate, authoritarian and neo-fascist character of the RSS, BJP and the Sangh Parivar. And third, the great need to revive, reinvigorate and actively help the work of all three social platforms in the state.

CPI(M) State Secretariat members Dr Uday Narkar, Vijay Gabhane, and Prachi Hatiwlekar conducted the proceedings of all the three sessions. The CPI(M) Mumbai District Committee made good arrangements for this workshop.