𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗜𝗞𝗦 𝗥𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗮, 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗸, 𝗠𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗵𝘁𝗿𝗮

On June 12, 2022, a massive 10,000-strong rally and public meeting was organised by #AIKS and other progressive youth and women’s organisations at Umbarthan, Tehsil Surgana, District Nashik in Maharashtra. The audience comprised an overwhelming number of Adivasi peasants.

June 12 this year was the 35th anniversary of the martyrdom of Comrade Laxman Bagul, who was killed at Vanganbari in Surgana tehsil in police firing in 1987, in a valiant struggle against eviction from forest lands.

The public meeting was presided over by AIKS state Vice President JP Gavit, ex-MLA. It was addressed by ex-MP Brinda Karat, AIKS National President Dr Ashok Dhawale, AIKS district President Savliram Pawar, and #DYFI district President Indrajit Gavit. AIKS district Secretary Irfan Shaikh and AIKS district Working President Sunil Malusare conducted the meeting.

Those present included AIKS state President Kisan Gujar, AIKS district Vice President Subhash Choudhary, comrade Bhika Rathod and many other leaders.

Comrades Brinda, Ashok and Gavit in their speeches strongly attacked the anti-tribal, anti-people and anti-national policies of the BJP-RSS Modi government. They deplored the failure of implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) state government. They also came down heavily on the communal and divisive conspiracies of the BJP-RSS and the Sangh Parivar.

The public meeting gave a clarion call for a huge districtwide AIKS rally on the Divisional Commissioner’s office at Nashik on June 20 on the burning issues of the peasantry.