NEW DELHI: Jan Ekta Jan Adhikar Andolan (JEJAA), a national platform of mass, class, social and cultural organisations, groups and progressive individuals, called for a press conference on May 18 2018 at the All India Kisan Sabha Office.

The conference was held to announce a mass mobilization campaign against the NDA government called ‘Pol Khol, Halla Bol’. The campaign will end in a protest rally on May 23 in New Delhi and state capitals across the country.

Under the slogan, ‘Either the government changes its policies or people will change the government’ the JEJAA has called a protest against the policies followed by the current government, also asking the government to fulfill promises the party made during the 2014 election campaigns.

The press conference was convened by Hannan Mollah, General Secretary of the All India Kisan Sabha. “We have a common understanding of the current situation in the country. So, we discussed that we should come together against the anti-national, anti-people policies pursued by the Government,” he said.

The government -- according to JEJAA -- came to power with fanfare and promises to all sectors and failed to deliver none of it, especially for the common people.

“They have used media widely to convince people that they have succeeded in delivering the promises.”, stated Mollah.

Atul Kumar Anjan, National secretary of Communist Party of India (CPI), was also present, and mentioned in his statement that, “Especially in the light of Karnataka Elections, there is a need to question the BJP. The governor under this government is merely a ‘tamed pussycat’ of the centre.” He went on to call Narendra Modi as not the Prime Minister of the country but rather a ‘twister of the truth.’

“Religious fundamentalism and casteism has divided the society and so this is the struggle of the working people, the youth, the students and all like-minded people.”, he said, venting out the frustrations echoed by the members present there.

Anjan ended his statement by saying that, “Under the fascist government, it is the job of the people of the country to save the democracy. Brave people must come together to wage a war against the Modi Government.”

R.K Sharma, member of the JEJAA, continued the meet by stating that the economic policies of the NDA government are similar to UPA’s, however they are being pursued more vigorously. He also stated that, “Under the current regime of exploitation, the prices are increasing and the promises of jobs hasn’t been fulfilled. The government is also trying to attack the thinking belt of the nation to deter them from forming a united front against this regime.”

Three critical issues were highlighted by Suneet Chopra, member of Khet Majduri Union. He was concerned not with the current policies by rather the lack of implementation. “FIRs are not filed, woman are being rejected from police stations when they approach them with any crime against them. Secondly, there is massive unemployment in the country. Not because there is no work but rather because child labour can be hired for one-fourth the price. Lastly, women are not being paid equal to men. These issues need to be highlighted and people need to fight for them unitedly.” His focus lay on not just implementation but also the intersectionality of such issues.

According to the press release, JEJAA is the largest platform consisting of more than 100 organisations representing various sectors of the country. It has representation of trade unions, peasants, agricultural works, state and centre employees, teachers, students, women and many other.

Boasting of around 20 crore members, JEJAA has waged a war against the NDA government and will march from Mandi House towards the Parliament Street on May 23.

(Cover Photo: From left: Atul Kumar Anjan, R.K. Sharma, Hannan Mollah & Suneet Chopra. P.C.: Tanya Ranjan)

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