By Harsh Thakor

15 December, 2023

A conglomeration of revolutionary and democratic forces, united under the slogan of ‘fighting fascism and neo-liberalism,’ has commenced a ‘Jan Chetna Yatra’ (People’s Awakening March) from December 6, 2023. The Yatra, a rally from Kolkata to Varanasi, aims to raise awareness among the masses regarding the communal agenda of RSS-BJP and their corporate-friendly, anti-people, and pro-imperialist policies. It is being led by a coalition of progressive forces, including various trade unions, student organizations, women’s groups, citizens’ rights, and democratic organizations.

The Jan Chetna Yatra, after traversing several districts of the states of West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Bihar, will culminate in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Organizers of the Yatra include Akhil Hind Forward Block (Krantikari), Azad Gana Morcha, BAFRB, Bihar Nirman va Asangathit Shramik Union, CBSS (Chay Bagan Sangram Samiti), CCI, CPI(ML), CPI-ML (ND), CPI-ML (RI), FIR, Janwadi Lok Manch, Marxist Coordination Committee, MKP, Nagrik Adhikar Raksha Manch, PCC- CPI (ML), PDSF, SNM, and many democratic individuals.

The organizers have described the Jan Jagaran Yatra as a movement initiated by various organizations and individuals with the goal of strengthening the resistance of hardworking people against corporate rule, fascism, and the onslaught of neo-liberal policies. They stated that the BJP and RSS, in collaboration with corporates, have been pushing the country towards an extreme crisis. Even though the BJP may lose in elections in a few states, the organized resistance of the working people against fascism and the onslaught of neo-liberal ideas must be strengthened, and this should be achieved by moving in the direction of organizing and strengthening decisive struggles to overthrow the hegemony of the corporate state, said the organizers.

At a time when waves of fascism and neo-liberal onslaught by the ruling classes have magnified at an unprecedented scale, the united campaign among the masses by left radical and democratic forces is politically significant. Currently, the fascist forces backed by corporations have intensified the exploitation of peasants, workers, student-youth, and common citizens to an unprecedented level. Confronting and retaliating against the right-wing forces is an urgent imperative task. In this context, the united initiative by a section of the revolutionary, struggling, and democratic organizations, as well as individuals, to launch the ‘Jan Chetna Yatra,’ can play an important role in developing a united anti-fascist and anti-corporate struggle in the country. 

The Jan Chetna Yatra started in Kolkata on the day of the Babri Demolition with a mass rally and protest gathering of over a thousand people. Around 50-100 people are continuously participating in the rally, while activists from the several regions through which it is passing are joining the campaign and hosting local issue-specific programs. On the first day the Yatra concluded in the district of Hooghly.

On the second day, amidst a heavy downpour, the Jan Chetna Yatra passed through the streets of the Hooghly industrial area as well as the important towns of Serampore, Chandannagar, Chinsurah. The old industrial belts of Hooghly, trampled under the crisis of deindustrialization, have in recent years come under the sway of intense communal mobilizations and violence during Ram Navami processions, as RSS-BJP has successfully penetrated the largely unemployed youth and Hindi-speaking industrial workers in the region. The leaders and activists of the participating organizations gave the call to struggle against the communal and fascist RSS-BJP combine and the corporates while campaigning in the district.

On day 3, Jan Chetna Yatra traveled through the streets of East and West Bardhaman districts. East Bardhman is an agrarian belt that is currently facing a deep agrarian crisis with the peasants lacking effective support from the government to earn their livelihoods and the agricultural laborers losing jobs due to the use of harvesters.

On day 4, the Yatra reached the Bankura district of West Bengal, largely inhabited by the tribal population. Rallies and protest demonstrations were held in Barjora, Bankura town, and Beliatore. Peasants, workers, students, youth, representatives of Adivasi community organizations joined the Yatra. The Yatra explained how the newly framed amendments to the Forest Act by the RSS/BJP-led government patronize the MNCs and give them a free license to plunder the natural resources, resulting in a brutal attack on the livelihood of the large tribal sections of the country. At the same time, it also emphasized how the RSS is hoodwinking the Adivasi population by trying to mobilize them within the umbrella of Hindus and luring them with false aspirations of bringing them into the mainstream of Hindu society and thus the promise of a better-dignified life.

On the 6th day, starting from Barabani, West Bengal, Jan Chetna Yatra set foot in the state of Jharkhand. Marching through the coal mines of Jharia and Dhanbad, the participating activists raised slogans against the privatization of coal mines and corporate loot of Jal-Jangal-Zamin.

On Day 7, the Jan Chetna Yatra passed through the coal mines and steel city of Nirsa, Putki, Munirdih, and Bokaro in Jharkhand. Protesting against the privatization of mines as well as the fascist aggression of BJP-RSS, the Yatra called for a decisive struggle against the forces of corporate Raaj.

“Based on the discussion with the local activists, we feel that nationalized mines are gradually shifting towards corporatization and, in the process, the workforce is being outsourced to contractors. All these are leading to the violation of labor laws and have become the core issues confronting the labor class in this part of the state,” said Delhi-based activist and one of the participants in the yatra, Shreya Ghosh. “We decided to opt for this route as Bengal has had a long history of labor struggles and Banaras is at the heart of the Hindutva design of the fascist BJP government,” said Shreya.

During the yatra, street corner meetings were a routine feature where speakers addressed issues specific to the region and placed the need for fermenting a united struggle against neoliberal fascist forces who are dividing society by poisoning people with communal hatred. One important positive aspect of the campaign is that it has addressed every stratum of society, be it workers, peasants, tribals, laborers, students, or youth. The agenda of the Hindutva fascists is being refuted on class lines, linking the economy with politics, the relationship of the saffron agenda with the rule of capital.

Leaving Jharkhand on December 12, the Jan Chetna Yatra entered Bihar and traversed campaigning through Patna, Jehanabad, Gaya, Koch, Goh, Daudnagar. A convention was also held on December 13 at Gandhi Sangrahalaya, Patna, where many organizations came together and affirmed that the Yatra is only a beginning in building a revolutionary struggle against corporate-fascist attacks.

From December 14 to December 18, the yatra will pass through various regions in Bihar in the districts of Gaya, Aurangabad, Rohtas, and Kaimur. Programs and conventions will be held in Gaya, Koch, Daudnagar, Nasirganj, Sasaram, Bhabua, and other areas. It will then cross over to Uttar Pradesh, and a public meeting will be held in Chandauli, UP, and the Yatra will culminate in Varanasi on December 20, 2023.

Harsh Thakor is a freelance journalist. Thanks to Jan Chetna Yatra Facebook group, Telegraph India, and Amartajyoti Basu and Shreyas Ghosh for information.

All images are from the Facebook pages of the participating activists.