Statement against harassment of Professor Parthasarathi Ray by NIA

IN SOLIDARITY WITH DR PARTHO SAROTHI RAY

We have come to know that our dear friend and comrade Dr Partho Sarothi Ray, Associate Professor, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), has been summoned by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the Elgar Parishad-Bhima Koregaon case. He has been asked to present himself before the investigators in Mumbai on 10 September at 11AM.

Partho has been pro-actively involved with peaceful, democratic people’s movements, especially the struggles for the rights of poor and marginalised dalits and adivasis. He is an active member of Persecuted Prisoners’ Solidarity Committee as well as Joint Action Committee for Social Justice. His tireless work in defence of civil liberties and for the release of political prisoners is exemplary. Partho has been ever-present in marches, rallies, and other street programmes with his stirring but lucid speeches and an endearing smile. At IISER, Partho has been carrying out extensive and useful research on molecular biology. His pioneering work on viruses has taken him to the lecture-halls in universities and scientific gatherings across the globe. He is a front-runner in the present battle against Covid-19 and his idea of community participation has been successfully implemented in Nadia district, inviting widespread interest. He was among the scientists consulted by the World Health Organization (WHO) to understand the character of the Coronavirus and formulate a policy to tackle the pandemic. The harassment of Dr Ray by the NIA is yet another sinister attempt in the fascist regime’s witch-hunt at silencing the voices of dissent and protest. We, the undersigned, strongly condemn this brazen assault on democratic activities and demand immediate withdrawal of NIA’s menacing, threatening interrogation notice. We stand hand-in-hand with Dr Partho Sarothi Ray.

Signed:
1. Aamra ek Sachetan Prayas
2. Aashita Dawer, Professor, OP Jindal Global University
3. Abhijit Roy, Professor, Jadavpur University
4. Achin Chakraborty, Professor, Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata
5. Achin Vanaik, Professor (Retd), University of Delhi
6. Adibashi Gaonta
7. Adibashi Juan Mahal
8. Adibashi Samanyaya Mancha
9. Aditi Chowdhury, Citizen
10. Aditi Roy Ghatak, Journalist
11. Aditya Nigam, Professor, CSDS, Delhi
12. AJC Bose, Professor, SRCC, University of Delhi
13. Alik Chakraborty, CPI (M-L) Red Star
14. All India Central Council of Trade Union (AICCTU)
15. All India Federation of Trade Unions (AIFTU – new)
16. All India Kshet Mazdoor Kisan Sabha (AIKMKS)
17. All India People’s Forum (AIPF)
18. All India Peoples’ Science Network (AIPSN)
19. All India Progressive Women’s Association (AIPWA)
20. All India Revolutionary Students’ Organisation (AIRSO)
21. All India Revolutionary Women’s Organisation (AIRWO)
22. All India Sanjukta Kisan Sabha
23. All West Bengal Sales Representatives’ Union (AWBSRU)
24. Aloke Mukherjee, CPI (M-L)
25. Amal Sanyal
26. Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle, IIT Madras
27. Ambedkar-Periyar-Phule Study Circle, IIT Bombay
28. Ambikesh Mahapatra
29. Amit Bhaduri, Professor (Retd), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)
30. Amitabha Chakraborty, Activist
31. Amra Monbhashi
32. Aneek Patrika (Bengali Monthly)
33. Anik Dutta, Filmmaker
34. Aniket Chattopadhyay, Filmmaker
35. Anindita Sarbadhikari, Filmmaker
36. Anindya, Blogger
37. Anindya Sengupta, Professor, Jadavpur University
38. Anish Vanaik, Professor, OP Jindal Global University
39. Anomita Sen, Citizen
40. Anup Gampa, Asst Professor, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, California
41. Anuroop Mallik, Folk Singer
42. Anwesha Sengupta, Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata
43. Arijit Mitra Smarak Committee
44. Arundhati Dhuru, National Alliance of People’s Movements
45. Arundhati Roy, Writer
46. Arup Baisya, Writer, Silchar
47. Arup Dasgupta
48. Ashani Natyam
49. Ashish Lahiri, Writer, Adjunct Professor, IISER
50. Ashok Choudhary, All India Union of Forest Working People (AIUFWP)
51. Asit Basu
52. Avishek Konar, Professor, OP Jindal Global University
53. Avishek Mukherjee
54. Ayodhya Buru Bachao Andolan
55. Azad Gano Morcha
56. Badshah Moitra, Actor
57. Baidyanath Sengupta, Editor, Samaj Bignan o Prakriti Parichay Patrika
58. Bandi Mukti Committee
59. Bharatiya Adibashi Ekata Mancha
60. Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, MP & Former Mayor, Kolkata Municipal Corporation
61. Bimal Chakraborty
62. Dr Binayak Sen
63. Bodhisatya Ray, Radical Socialist
64. Central Convening Committee (CCC), No NRC Movement
65. Chanchal Chakraborty
66. Chandan Sen, Playwright
67. Charoibeti
68. Chittaroopa Palit, Narmada Bachao Andolan
69. Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners (CRPP), West Bengal
70. Confluence, IISER, Mohali
71. CP Geevan, Former Senior Environmental Scientist, Independent Researcher
72. Das Theke Das Hazaar
73. DC Gohain, Jharkhand Krantikari Mazdoor Union
74. Debdoot Ghosh
75. Debdutta Paul
76. Delhi Science Forum, Delhi
77. Dhritisree, Theatre Activist
78. Dhruv Narayan, Publisher
79. Doyeeta Majumder, Professor, Jadavpur University
80. Ebong Bisongbad
81. Prof. Felix Padel
82. Feminists in Resistance
83. Forum Against Monopolistic Aggression (FAMA)
84. Freny Manecksha
85. Dr Fuad Halim, People’s Health Activist
86. Ganatantrik Sangrami Udyog
87. Gautam Chakraborty
88. Githa Hariharan, Writer
89. Gorky Chakraborty, Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata
90. Goutam Seal
91. Harkumar Goswami, Guwahati
92. Hosiery Workers’ Unity Centre
93. Indian Federation of Trade Union (IFTU)
94. Indira Ghose, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
95. Indu Chandrasekhar, Publisher
96. J Devika, Feminist Historian
97. Jadavpur Commune
98. Jai Bhim India Network
99. Janakalyan o Santras Birodhi Gana Abhijan Mancha, Bagnan
100. Janaswasthya Suraksha o Adhikar Mancha, Uluberia
101. Jayati Ghosh, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)
102. Joint Action Committee for Social Justice
103. Joint Platform of Academicians
104. Jomi Jibika Bastutantro o Poribesh Raksha Committee
105. Joyraj Bhattacharya, Theatre & Social Activist
106. Kaushik Sen, Playwright & Actor
107. KP Fabian, Ambassador (Retd)
108. Kranti Shilpi Sangha
109. Krishna Bandyopadhyay, Activist in Women’s Movements
110. Kumar Rana, Social Activist
111. Kunal Chattopadhyay, Professor, Jadavpur University
112. Kuntal Rudra
113. Little Magazine Samannaya Mancha
114. Mahila Jagaron Samiti, Bagnan
115. Manoj Bhattacharya, RSP
116. Masood Akhtar
117. Mazdoor Kranti Parishad
118. Megha Unwer, Professor, Purdue University, Italy
119. Miratun Nahar, Writer
120. Mitra Sengupta
121. Moinak Biswas, Professor, Jadavpur University
122. Nagarik Udyog
123. National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), West Bengal
124. New Democratic Students’ Front
125. New Trade Union Initiative (NTUI)
126. Nikhil Banga Mahila Sangha
127. Nilanjan Dutta, Writer, Filmmaker, Human Rights Activist
128. Nisha Biswas, Activist
129. Nitish Roy, Singer
130. Nivedita Menon, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)
131. Nupur Basu, Bachik Shilpi
132. Pamela Philipose, Journalist
133. Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, www.paranjoy.in
134. Partha Chatterjee, Professor, Columbia University
135. Partha S Banerjee, Writer & Retired Journalist
136. Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity
137. Paschim Banga Ganasanskriti Parishad
138. People’s Film Collective
139. People’s Study Circle
140. Persecuted Prisoners’ Solidarity Committee
141. Prabhat Patnaik, Professor Emeritus, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)
142. Prabir Mukhopadhyay, Teacher (Retd), South Point School
143. Pradip Chatterjee, Activist
144. Prakriti Sebasram Sangha
145. Pramod Gupta, Social Activist
146. Pranab Kanti Basu, Professor (Retd), Vishva-Bharati
147. Prantajan
148. Pratip Nag, Activist
149. Progressive Democratic Students’ Federation (PDSF)
150. Progressive Plantation Workers’ Union
151. Progressive Students’ Union (PSU)
152. Progressive Youth League (PYL)
153. Pulak Chanda, Professor (Retd), Shyamsundar College
154. Purbasha Auddy, Jadavpur University
155. Purulia Bauri Samaj Kalyan Samiti
156. Rajashri Dasgupta, Social Activist
157. Ranjana Padhi, WSS
158. Ranjit Sur, Human Rights Activist
159. Ratan Khasnabis, Former Professor, Calcutta University
160. Ravi Pallur, Political Activist
161. Refraction (Magazine)
162. Revolutionary Cultural Forum
163. Revolutionary Youth and Students’ Federation
164. Revolutionary Youth Federation of India (RYFI)
165. Revolutionary Youth Front (RYF)
166. Right to Food & Work Campaign, West Bengal
167. Rimi B Chatterjee, Professor, Jadavpur University
168. Ritam Bhaumik, INRIA, Paris
169. Ritam Palit, Student Activist
170. Romar Correa, Professor, University of Mumbai
171. Rongili Biswas, Writer & Musician. Associate Professor, WBES
172. Sabyasachi Chakraborty, Actor
173. Sabyasachi Chatterjee
174. Sabyasachi Deb, Poet
175. Sachetana
176. Sahaman
177. Sailendra Nath Bhattacharya, ECL Colliery Sramik Union
178. Sajni Mukherjee, Professor, Jadavpur University
179. Salil Biswas, Principal (Retd), South City College
180. Samantak Das, Professor, Jadavpur University
181. Samar Bagchi, Science, Education, Environment & Social Activist
182. Sampradayikota o Fascibad Birodhi Ganatantrik Mancha
183. Sandeep Pandey, Socialist Party (India)
184. Sanjay Basak, Journalist
185. Sanjay Kak, Filmmaker
186. Sanjeeb Mukherjee, Calcutta University
187. Saswata Ghosh, Professor, Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata
188. Satya Sagar, Journalist
189. Dr SC Byne, Gana Adhikar Mancha, Durgapur
190. Shakti Pada Badyakar, SC-ST-OBC & Minority Employees’ Federation, Durgapur
191. Dr Sharmistha Dutta Gupta, Independent Researcher
192. Shramajibi Swasthya Udyog
193. Shamim Ahmed, Writer
194. Shuddhabrata Sengupta, Delhi
195. Shukla Bhowmick
196. Sipra Mukherjee, Professor, Jadavpur University
197. Sitansusekhar, Na Hanya Te
198. Soma Marik, Associate Professor, RKSM Vivekananda Vidya Bhavan
199. Dr Soumya Sahin, Asst Professor, National University of Juridical Sciences (NUJS)
200. Souvik Mukhopadhyay
201. Sramajibi Mahila Samiti
202. Srikanta Mohanty, CPI (M-L), Odisha
203. Students for Change
204. Subhash Deb, CPI (M-L) PCC
205. Subhasis Bandyopadhyay, Associate Professor, IIEST, Shibpur
206. Sugata Ray
207. Sukanta Chaudhuri, Professor Emeritus, Jadavpur University
208. Sukumar Muralidharan, Journalist and Journalism Instructor
209. Sumit Bhaduri, Scientist (Chemist)
210. Sumit Sarkar, Historian
211. Sumit, Filmmaker, Writer
212. Sunandan Chakraborty
213. Supriya Chaudhuri, Professor Emeritus, Jadavpur University
214. Sushanta Mukherjee, Activist
215. Sushil Khanna, Professor (Retd), Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIMC)
216. Sushovan Dhar, Trade Union Activist
217. Susmit Bose, Singer-Composer, Activist
218. Suvrat Raju, International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Bengaluru
219. Swastha Siksha Nirman
220. Tanika Sarkar, Historian, Professor (Retd), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)
221. Tarun Bhartiya, Imagemaker & Union Activist, Shillong
222. Tobu Banglar Mukh
223. Trade Union Centre of India (TUCI)
224. Tuhin Maparu
225. Umar Awais, United Forum for National Integrity (Rajabazar Shireen Bagh)
226. United Trade Union Congress (UTUC)
227. Vandana Misra, Civil Liberties Activist
228. Vanessa Chisti, OP Jindal Global University
229. Women Against Sexual Violence & State Repression (WSS)

 

Press Coverage of 'Khadya Suraksha Diwas'

Initiatives of the media team on 'Khadya Suraksha Diwas'

Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity commemorated our cherished 15^th August as the ‘Food Security Day or Khadya Suraksha Diwas’ to highlight the exclusion of a substantial number of vulnerable households from the Public Distribution System. Our media team in association with the district units collected numerous photographs and videos on the proceedings of that day. On 15th August, 2020 periodic briefings were provided by our district units to the media team and a press release was sent by the secretariat at the end of the day. Some of the links highlighting the people’s participation in the programme have been shared below:

https://www.facebook.com/111465970418279/posts/178741480357394/?sfnsn=wiwspmo&extid=Tt3rrAyZCZo9NRgq

https://www.facebook.com/102998331184249/posts/191184449032303/?sfnsn=wiwspwa&extid=UrhjE5qL3gJFptp7

https://epaper.thestatesman.com/m5/2788379/Siliguri-The-Statesman/17-TH-AUGUST-2020#page/2/1  

Live footage of the initiatives had reached the team from different corners and those were shared on our various social media platforms. Some of the notable ones have been shared below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bLouYB1jxA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZJ5jPYRico

 

Some of the photographs have also been shared below:

School children participating in a march in Delang, Purulia

Workers of Bamandanga Tea Garden, Jalpaiguri participating in 'Khadya Suraksha Diwas' adhering to physical distancing protocols

Our initiatives to engage with the media houses help us in reaching out to a large network of our well-wishers nationally as well as internationally and also to disseminate information about our work and struggles. We are indebted to all of our media partners for their untiring efforts to stand shoulder to shoulder with our members, often from the most marginalized sections of the population.

Khadya Suraksha Diwas

People Demand reforms in Public Distribution System and implementation of the NFSA, 2013 in its true spirit on our 74^th Independence Day

Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity commemorated our cherished 15^th August as the ‘Food Security Day or Khadya Suraksha Diwas’ to highlight the exclusion of a substantial number of vulnerable households from the Public Distribution System. Today, around 300 villages from more than 12 districts across West Bengal came together to register their protest against the rising discontent amongst the masses on the inadequacies of the Public Distribution System. Door to door surveys of households were undertaken by our village units and banners and posters were put up in public places for mobilization exercises and also to inform the general public about our initiative. Some of the chief demands raised have been as follows:

• Universal PDS and adequate rations
• Removal of 5 different types of ration cards in West Bengal and one ration card for all
• 14 kg of food grains, 1.5 kg of pulses, and 800 gram of edible oil per month per person for free.

Members began their day by hoisting the National Flag and various planned social action initiatives were undertaken. Demonstrations, sloganeering, small gatherings and rallies saw participation from the masses over the day.

Members in the august presence of the National Flag in Biramdi village, Purulia

Some of the highlights of our ‘Food Security Day or Khadya Suraksha Diwas’:

• Parbhabanipur (Makalgacha GP, Hasnabad) is a village in which Khetmajoor Samity has started working recently. About 150 people registered to become members there. A few days after during a preparatory meeting for Independence Day, local party goons along with the local Panchayat member, threatened villagers and beat up a 55 year old man. The Panchayat member even went on to threaten people with dire consequences and said they would not get any of their benefits and entitlements from the government if they continued supporting PBKMS. Despite these threats, today about 40 people participated in the Food Security Day and carried out a flag hoisting in their village. They have all resolved to continue to be PBKMS members.
• In Shyamnagar village of Balarampur block in Purulia, while 6-8 of our women members were hoisting the flag and putting up our posters, their village civic police volunteer ordered them to tear down the posters. He threatened them with arrest if they did not do so. The women finished their program quickly and went back to their homes

 

                  Women in Shyamnagar, Purulia saluting the National flag

Half an hour later, at 12.30 pm, the police came and picked up Bhim Gope, the husband of Sanakha Gope, who leads our work in that village. Bhim is known as a simple minded, silent and good manual worker. He was not at all involved in the program and was in fact, busy building someone‘s mud wall. Several of our senior members called the district police (starting from the SP down to the OC), the Zilla Sabhadipati and ruling party leaders. Friends in the press and in other unions also made repeated calls. We were told that they were enquiring about our involvement in extremist activities, as we had put up posters on Independence Day.

A similar incident has taken place just about 2 months back in Hura police station and more recently in this very same police station (Balarampur). Each time, our activists have been detained in the police station for hours for no rhyme or reason. Bhim Gope was released at 8 PM finally. His crime – he is the husband of a village woman who hoisted the national flag on Independence Day and drew public attention to the problem of hunger during the COVID 19 pandemic.

• In 3 Gram Panchayats in Manbazar block in Purulia, the local elected officials were very supportive. The panchayat pradhans, upa-pradhans, and members participated in the events enthusiastically. They told PBKMS members that your demands are the same as ours. They took posters and handbills and distributed it themselves.

Elected Gram Panchayat members enthusiastically participated in our event at Bhurasole, Purulia

In Pifa GP in Basirhat-1 in North 24 Paraganas, the Panchayat Pradhan and Upa-pradhan also met with about 250 assembled PBKMS members. They assured people that they were in full support of PBKMS demands.

• Danton 1 block of Paschim Midnapore, local youth clubs participated in the survey. Community members and political leaders across party lines took part in the flag hoisting event and postering campaigns. In Bamanberiya, where PBKMS distributed masks to the community; the Vice President of the Panchayat Samity participated along with PBKMS.
• Cultural activities were organized at a number of villages in Purulia and South 24-Parganas.

The survey forms from all the field areas will be collected in the coming days by the respective district units and the data hence generated will be collated for specific advocacy initiatives. Member of Parliament(s) of the respective constituencies will also be engaged with and the organization plans to sustain the initiative of taking up the inadequacies in the Public Distribution System with its national networks and state partners.

Campaign for Land Rights Starts in Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri.

 Desh Hua Azad, Lekin Hum Rahe Bagan Mallikon Ke Gulam

 

In this independent country, we  are still slaves of the tea garden owners

 

Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity commemorated 15th August as the ‘Food Security Day or Khadya Suraksha Diwas’ to highlight the exclusion of a substantial number of vulnerable households from the Public Distribution System. The event also aimed to address various other problems of the tea garden workers like Fair wages and Land Rights.

Presently, the tea garden workers are receiving only Rs 176/- as their daily wages. However, the 7th Pay Commission has declared Rs 18000/- a month as the minimum wage in 2016.Tea garden workers are therefore demanding their wages to be raised to Rs 600/- per day, which would be at par with the recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission. 

Lankapara Tea Estate, Alipurduar

 

 

Birpara Tea Estate, Alipurduar

Bamandanga Tea Garden, Jalpaiguri

Dhumchipara Tea Garden, Alipurduar

 

 Demand for adequate Land rights for the tea garden workers was also incorporated in the event. 

The petition demanding land rights which that was circulated amongst the tea garden workers.

 

Subibit Dhanwar (47) , a tea garden worker from Madhu tea estate of Satali gram panchayat, Kalchini Block, Alipurdurar, inaugurated PBKMS’s campaign to demand land rights by becoming the first person to fill up a form demanding land ownership from the State Government.

Subibit’s family has been residing in the tea garden since 3 generations. The land where they have built their house is allotted by the company, but they do not possess any legal ownership over the same. This means that the moment he loses his job or retires from work, he would become homeless. The company would ask him to vacate the property. This forces workers like Subibit into a state of bondage where they become slaves and accept everything the management says including low wages because they have nowhere else to go. 

Subibit Dhanwar fills up the application form for land rights

 

All that Subibit’s family demand is ownership of the land where they have lived for 150 years. Subibit has signed the petition demanding the land rights circulated by PBKMS and shall continue to fight for the cause.  

Another issue of significance that came up was that despite the promise given by the CM in 2016, not all tea garden workers have Antodaya(AAY) ration cards. Quotas have been placed by the Central Government based on 2011 population figures which are also preventing the Government from issuing more AAY cards. Complaints about quantity and quality are also rampant .

A Tea Garden worker displays their demands in Nagaisuree Tea Estate, Jalpaiguri

 

On the whole, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri witnessed significant participation for the event. Khadya Suraksha Diwas was organized in many tea gardens such as Birpara, Garganda, Lankapara, Ramjhora, Hantapara, Madhu, Raimatang, Torsa , Dhumchipara, Bandapani, Raipur, Nagaisuree, Patharjhora, Bamandanga-Tondoo etc.  Members began their day by hoisting the National Flag and various planned social action initiatives like demonstrations, sloganeering, small gatherings.

The people discussed their issues and demands in the gatherings. While they demanded their rights, some of the villages also mourned for the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in Galwan Valley. 

PBKMS members after flag hoisting in Patharjhora Tea Garden in Jalpaiguri before beginning their campaign for land rights

   

PBKMS intends to take up the issue of wages , food and land with all concerned officials. 15^th August thus marked the beginning of their campaign, especially for land rights.

- Written by Joel Jose, Student, M.A. Development, Azim Premji University