Arun Kumar Mishra
THE General Strike on July 9, called by the ten Central Trade Unions, transformed into a powerful people’s movement in Bihar, sending a strong signal to the Modi regime at the Centre to desist from subverting democracy and making a mockery of the Constitution – or be prepared to face the consequences.
The constituents of the Mahagathbandhan – Congress, RJD, CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML), VIP –along with a large number of social, cultural, and civil society organisations not only supported the strike call demanding the rollback of the four labour codes and the protection of democratic and workers' rights, but also voiced strong opposition to the ongoing, intensive revision of electoral rolls ahead of the Bihar elections. This revision, requiring 11 documents to prove citizenship for inclusion in the rolls, is being seen as a backdoor NRC exercise – an attempt to disenfranchise crores of voters. It is a massive fraud being carried out by the Election Commission at the behest of the BJP and its allies, aimed at undermining democracy and paving the way for one-party rule under a Hindu Rashtra.
The people of Bihar, especially the working masses, responded with widespread anger, participating in the strike across the state. This led to a complete shutdown of work in every sector and a powerful expression of public outrage.
Transport workers, under the leadership of CITU-affiliated unions, played a crucial role by mobilising lakhs of auto, e-rickshaw, truck, lorry, and bus workers, who gave up their daily earnings to join the protest. As a result, the entire state came to a standstill. In Patna, a two-day strike by auto and e-rickshaw drivers on July 8-9 highlighted both local and national demands.
The state capital echoed the spirit of the 1974 movement, as national leaders of the Mahagathbandhan (INDIA bloc) gathered in Patna and led a march to the Election Commission office near the Bihar Assembly.
From 9 am onwards, massive crowds assembled at the Income Tax roundabout, waving flags and banners, and raising spirited slogans against the neo-fascist onslaught of the Modi regime.
In an open jeep, Congress and Opposition leader in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi; RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav; CPI(M) General Secretary, M A Baby; CPI General Secretary D Raja; CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, and VIP leader Mukesh Sahani led the march to the Election Commission office. The Bihar Assembly area had been barricaded near the statue of the Seven Martyrs – students of Patna University who had valiantly challenged the might of the British Empire during the 1942 Quit India Movement. Against this historic backdrop, the Mahagathbandhan leaders addressed the gathered crowd, urging them to lead the charge to save democracy and uphold the idea of India as enshrined in the Constitution.
The leaders reminded the people how the BJP and its allies manipulated electoral outcomes in their favour during the recent Maharashtra elections. They warned that similar tactics were being crudely deployed in Bihar, with the objective of disenfranchising voters, particularly dalits, minorities, women, migrant workers, and other marginalised sections, to illegitimately seize power. All ground reports suggest that the BJP-JD(U) alliance is facing widespread public discontent and is poised for a resounding defeat in the upcoming elections. In response, they are now attempting to erode the constitutional autonomy of the Election Commission and force it to act under the directives of the ruling party.
In a brief but powerful address delivered in Hindi, M A Baby drew a historical parallel, warning of the dangerous path the Modi regime has taken – akin to that of Adolf Hitlerin Germany from 1933 to 1945. He recalled how Hitler, through the 1935 Nuremberg Laws, institutionalised racial exclusion, turning Jews into pariahs in their own land. He cautioned that the Modi government is enacting a similar framework – through laws and societal norms dictating food habits, dress, inter-community interactions, love, and marriage – aimed at dividing and controlling the populace. The world has seen the fate of Hitler. Will Modi learn from history or choose the path of ruin?
Bihar has sent a powerful message: Modi’s neo-fascist project will not succeed and is destined to meet its nemesis.
Reports from every district of the state reflect the growing anger of the common people of Bihar, reeling under two decades of anti-people, anti-farmer, anti-worker, anti-women, anti-dalit, and anti-minority policies pursued under the Nitish Kumar–BJP regime.
Scheme workers, contract workers, construction workers, mid-day meal workers, a vast number of unorganised sector workers, and pharmaceutical sales representatives, along with organised sector workers from banks, LIC, and GIC, not only observed the strike but also joined the common people in blocking highways and railway tracks.
A key highlight of the movement was the massive mobilisation of grassroots workers from the Congress, RJD, and Left parties. The tricolour, red flags, and green flags fluttered side by side, symbolising a united resistance to the saffron (Bhagwa) agenda and its implications for the democratic ethos of the country.
In a strong display of solidarity with the trade unions’ demands and in protest against the aggressive revision of electoral rolls, peasants and agricultural workers participated spontaneously, transforming the strike into a true people’s movement.
According to reports from the districts, while the police largely refrained from heavy-handed action, thousands of workers and leaders were nonetheless detained in Madhubani, Darbhanga, Bhabhua, and several other districts.
In Patna, CPI(M) state secretary Lalan Choudhary, Central Committee member Awadhesh Kumar, secretariat member Ahmad Ali, and state committee members Manoj Chandravanshi and Sarvoday Sharma, along with other district leaders, led the march.
Other secretariat members – Rajendra Singh, Prabhuraj Narayan Rao, Vinod Kumar as well as MLA and secretariat member Ajay Kumar, and MLA Satyendra Yadav, participated in road blockades and marches in their respective district headquarters.
