Call for Intensifying Struggle for Land and Against MNCs' penetration

The second state conference of Lok Sangram Manch (LSM), which is active in South Orissa, was held from March 21 to 23 at Berhampur. The LSM is affiliated to All India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha (AIKMS).

The conference began with a big rally on 21st March at Berhampur. Around 3000 people from Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhmahal, Rayagada and Kalahandi districts in South and West Orissa participated. Most of the participants were poor adivasis and dalits. Women participated in good number. The rally began at Berhampur Railway Station and ended in a public meeting at Ramalingam Tank Road after passing though major routes in the city. Slogans on the demands of the adivasis, dalits and other rural poor were raised by the participants along the entire route.

Well known tribal leader and President of LSM, Com. Budha Gomango presided over the public meeting. The General Secretary of LSM, Com. Bhala Chandra Sarangi in his introductory speech, condemned the ruling class parties for their anti-people policies and called on the people to intensify struggles in the coming days. He said the police, administration and landlords mercilessly repress our activists and we have been successfully resisting the same.

Well known revolutionary intellectual from Bhuvaneshwar, Shri Rajendra Sarangi, informed the gathering that in the name of industrialization, the BJD-BJP Govt. of Orissa along with MNCs are conspiring to intensify plunder of the rich mineral resources of Orissa. In the course of this, the source of livelihood and homes of lakhs of adivasis and dalits are being snatched from them. He supported the struggles being waged under the leadership of LSM..

Secretary of AIKMS, Com. Y. S. Rao called on the participants to intensify the struggle for land and for forests. Sate committee member of LSM, Com. Raghunath Padhi stressed on the need to expand the struggle to involve the entire state and on the need to face the attacks of the ruling classes.

The main speaker of the public meeting, General Secretary of CPI(ML)-New Democracy, Com. Yatendra Kumar stressed the need to intensify the anti-feudal and anti-govt. struggles of adivasis, dalits and other sections of rural poor of South Orissa. He condemned the pro-imperialist, anti-people policies being implemented by both the CPM-CPI supported UPA Govt. at the Centre and the BJD-BJP Govt. of Orissa. Supporting the national struggle of the people of Iraq against American military occupation and the democratic struggle of people of Nepal against feudal-militarist monarchy, Com. Yatendra Kumar called for strengthening and intensifying the struggle for new democratic revolution in India. Despite widespread repression by the rulers, more and more of the poor masses of India are participating in the movements led by communist revolutionaries. There is no other path for liberating the people of the country from the exploitation and oppression by imperialists, comprador capitalists and landlords. He asserted that howsoever hard they may try the reactionary ruling classes can not finish off the revolutionary movement in the country.

In his concluding speech, Com. Budha Gomango reiterated LSM's commitment to intensifying the revolutionary struggle.

The delegate session of the Conference began on the morning of 22nd March, 2005 and 60 delegates elected at the district conferences took part. Coms. Adengu Gomango, Raghunath Padhi and Parsuram formed the presidium. The venue of the Conference was named after young adivasi activist Com. Kamla Khabra Nagra, who played an important role in building up the movement and who died while still young.

The conference was inaugurated by senior revolutionary leader and Secretary of AIKMS Com. Y.S. Rao. Extending his revolutionary greetings to the Conference, he expressed the hope that the Conference would successfully outline a plan for strengthening the organization and intensifying the land struggle. Revolutionary leader from Bihar, Com. Ajit Sharma, drew the attention of the delegates to the long terms aims of the peasant struggle. Senior revolutionary leader of Orissa and representative of a fraternal organization, Com. Gananath Patra, termed the current independence and democratic rights as fake and emphasized the need for joint struggles by revolutionary organizations. Revolutionary intellectual Shri Rajendra Sarangi drew the attention of the delegates to the loot by imperialists of the state's resources in the name of globalization, and expressed the hope that LSM would lead the struggle against this attack.

In the second session, Com. Santosh Mullick presented the Draft Constitution of LSM while Com. Bhala Chandra Shadangi introduced the Draft Programme. Delegates took active part in the discussion on these documents. The Conference later passed the proposed documents.

In the third session held on the morning of 23rd March, Com. Bhalachandra Shadangi presented the report of the activities of LSM since the Founding Conference of the organization. He described the struggles for land and outlined the programmes taken up against state repression. The Report stated that along with adivasis, LSM has also been successful in attracting dalits to itself in large number. There was lively debate on the Report during which almost all the delegates gave their opinion on the Report and their suggestions. After explanation, the Conference passed the Report unanimously.

The last item on the agenda of the Conference was the election of the new Executive Committee and delegates participated enthusiastically in this. Com. Budha Gomango was re-elected as President while Com. Raghunath Padhi was elected Vice-president, Com. Santosh Mullick as General Secretary and Com. Kalsa Majhi as Secretary. Apart from them eight members of the executive committee were also elected. The Conference also elected the delegates for the All India Conference of AIKMS to be held at Jalandhar (Punjab) in September 2005.

With the closing address of Com. Y.S. Rao and short speeches by the newly elected office bearers, the Conference ended amid great enthusiasm. The delegates left the Conference Hall with confidence about the coming days and with high expectations.