Overview
The People’s Brigade (2019) #PeoplesBrigade is a political event organised by Left Front led by C.P.I(M) West Bengal. The event will take place on the 3rd day of February, 2019 at Brigade Parade Ground.
Geographical Location
Follow the Google Map to find details of the location.
History
The first ever Brigade rally called by C.P.I(M) was on 9 April 1967. After that numerous rally took place in Brigade Parade Ground.
Demands
• Implementation of the recommendation of the Swaminathan Commission. The State and Central government will have to buy crop at a rate of one and a half times the cost of production.
• Work for all. 18,000 minimum wage and minimum pension of 6,000. Abolition of all anti-labor laws.
• All Indian Citizen must be included in NRC in Assam.
• All religious fundamentalism and communalism and oppression of Dalits and tribal must be stopped immediately.
• Return the rights of land and forests to the tribal. Provide stipend and hostels to tribal students.
• Ensure the safety of women. At least one-third of the women’s representation must be ensured in the legislature
• Punish the guilty of Sharada-Narada, Rafale scam’s and punish who looted money of the public banks, punish people responsible for the corruption of employment.
• Stop saffornisation and corruption in education system, reduce the cost of education.
Digital Campaign of People’s Brigade
The ‘Brigade’ is bringing people together in unexpected ways. Ever since the Left Front announced its decision to hold its signature ‘Brigade Rally’ on February 3, the Bengali social media space is buzzing with anticipation. In a significant break from the past, when wall writings and graffiti used to mark political campaigns, this time the CPI(M)’s West Bengal unit is aggressively using its social media cell to generate greater participation and involvement of its supporters.
The Digital Team, through its Facebook page and Twitter handle, has urged supporters to send in posters, graphics, poetry and photographs of volunteers painting Brigade graffiti in various parts of West Bengal. Interestingly, the Digital Team has also requested supporters to record one minute-long videos with the tagline: ‘Why I am headed for Brigade.’ Supporters can also narrate their fond memories of previous Brigade rallies and all entries can be sent to a WhatsApp number (8017921866). The Digital Team will broadcast all entries on their official Facebook page, Twitter handle and YouTube channel. Those who are uncomfortable with making their support public, due to the prevalent environment of threats and intimidation, can also choose to remain anonymous.
This attempt to make the Brigade Rally much more participatory in nature, with the help of social media, has evoked enthusiastic response from the CPI(M)’s support base. Unlike cash-rich parties like the BJP or Congress, the CPI(M)’s presence on social media used to be somewhat limited. However, since last year, the party’s West Bengal unit has beefed up its activities, especially during the panchayat elections, when it provided valuable information from remote areas on the unprecedented violence and intimidation unleashed by Trinamul Congress activists on Left cadres.
Recently, the party’s social media team, with help from its volunteers, campaigned relentlessly to give visibility to the #SingurKisanMarch, which saw the participation of 50,000 farmers and farm workers in November 2018, and the Uttar Kanya Kisan March of North Bengal in end-December, that mobilized another 30,000 people. The success of these campaigns can be gauged from the fact the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been forced to announce a handful of sops for the farm sector.
Explaining the reason for this greater emphasis on social media campaigns, a CPI(M) state secretariat member, said, “We have noticed that in the past few years, the print and electronic media in Kolkata have consistently blacked out the Left and its mobilizations. Important issues raised by us, be it recruitment mess in SSC, or aggravated corruption in farm procurement, are kept out of discourse. But gradually, we are able to get our message across with the help of various social media platforms. Our cadres and volunteers are now at their innovative best, even taking great risks, to collect news, anecdotes, photographs from villages and districts and putting it online. Now, we are confident that the combined campaign of our cadres, volunteers and supporters will result in a very successful Brigade rally.”
The West Bengal CPI(M), which has often been criticized for its conventional approach to political campaigning, is now all geared up to take it to the next level. Its social media cell is already churning out copious volumes of memes, posts, graphics and videos on topical issues, which are then disseminated via WhatsApp groups. Unlike the Trinamul Congress, which brazenly uses public-funded government advertisements to showcase itself, the CPI(M) is depending on the agility of its online volunteers to create a favorable eco-system. Much now hinges on how successfully the party’s social media team generates hype around the ‘Brigade’, and whether it manages to change the narrative of West Bengal’s politics before Lok Sabha elections.
Background of PeoplesBrigade
Background of PeoplesBrigade
Adhikar Yatra
The Adhikar Yatra began its journey on 10th September 2018 from Coochbehar. It was flagged off by Comrade Hannan Mollah, Joint Convener of Jan Ekta Ekta Adhikar Movement. This Yatra touched 7 lakh people, covered 50,000 kilometres and 78,000 booths in 23 days. The Charter of Demands of this Yatra were as follows:
• Following the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission both the state and the central governments will have to pay 1.5 times the cost of production to the farmers while procuring their produce.
• Each one should be gainfully employed. Minimum wage must be at least rupees 18,000 per month and old age pension must be pegged at rupees 3,000 per month. All anti-labour laws must be abolished.
• In Assam every Indian’s name must be listed as a bona fide citizen of this country.
• Fundamentalism and communalism of all hues, and oppression and persecution of the Dalits must be stopped immediately.
• Right to water, land, jungle must be restored to the indigenous people. Hostels must be constructed and stipends must be introduced.
• Safety and security of women must be guaranteed. One-third women representation in legislatures must be ensured.
• The scamsters of Sarada, Narad and Rafale rip-offs must be brought to book along with the fraudsters who looted the banks and those involved with job swindle.
• Anarchy and corruption in education must be stopped. Cost of education must be reduced.
• The democratic and civic rights of the people of West Bengal must be restored.
Highlighting the demands the Yatra marched through Maldah, South Dinajpur and North Dinajpur. A public rally was held at Maldah on 2nd October 2018. The inauguration of the Padayatra from Farakka to Kolkata was done by the General Secretary of UTUC Comrade Ashok Ghosh on 14th September 2018. The Padayatra was flagged off on 14th September 2018 from Purulia by the Convener of BPMO Comrade Shyamal Chakraborty. The Padayatra began its journey from West Bardhaman on 22nd September under the aegis of the General Secretary of AIKS Comrade Hafiz Alam Sairani. On 23rd September the Padayatra set sail for Kolkata from Asansol and it was initiated by the Joint Convener of Jan Ekta Jan Adhikar Comrade Amarjit Kaur. The Padayatra was flagged off by the General Secretary of AICCTU Comrade Rajiv De Moli. All the Padayatras from different parts of the state assembled at Kolkata on 3rd October for the central rally.
SingurKisanMarch
Remunerative prices for farmers and industrial jobs for rural youth were the twin challenges that farmers and agricultural workers threw at the authorities from a mega rally in central Kolkata on 29/11/2018.
The two-day long ‘Singur to Raj Bhavan’ procession, reached the heart of the city at Rani Rashmoni Road on the second day of the march where a 50,000 strong crowd awaited to express their solidarity. All attention, however, remained with the thousands of people who undertook the 52-km long Padayatra from Singur. The massive congregation was addressed by the CPI(M) West Bengal State Secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra, All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) State Secretary Amal Halder, All India Agricultural Workers’ Union (AIAWU) State Secretary Amiya Patra and AIAWU State President Tushar Ghosh.
The ‘Singur to Raj Bhavan’ Abhijan was jointly organized by the West Bengal units of the All India Kisan Sabha and All India Agricultural Workers Union. This was a corollary to the all India Kisan Mukti March that started in New Delhi on 29/11/2018.
The charter of demands includes:
1) Industry must be set up on land acquired by the State Government for industrialization including Singur
2) Work for all
3) Government welfare schemes must be extended to farmers, peasants and bargadars of Singur
4) Implement the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission. The State and Central governments must buy crop at one and half time the cost of production
5) All agricultural debt must be waived
6) Ensure 200 days of work and rupees 350 per day wage in MNREGA
7) All poor people above 60 years of age must be given a monthly pension of minimum rupees 6000
8) Stringent action against all corrupt public functionaries in the State and at the Centre
No to Communalism
As we are all aware BJP and the Sangh Parivar in a premeditated manner has been trying to communally vitiate the political atmosphere of West Bengal. The economic policies of the central government have driven the common man to desperation. All economic indices have plummeted. And so to divert the people’s attention from the grave crisis facing the nation they have taken recourse to religious polarization. In this state too, the BJP had planned to undertake a rathyatra with the sole objective of spreading fear, hatred and disharmony. The ruling TMC is determined to outdo the BJP and is indulging in competitive communalism.
Along with the rest of the country the leftist parties of West Bengal had observed 6th December as the Defend the Constitution and Secularism Day. All through December different programmes were undertaken to combat the divisive tactics of both the BJP and the TMC. The student and youth wing participated in this endeavour with full vigour.
Another two significant programmes embarked upon in the last couple of months were the Plassey Chalo and the Tarakeswar KamarpukurMarch.
Ground Level Campaign
In the lead up to the mega rally at the Brigade Parade Ground on 3rd February 2019 street corner meetings are being held at every nook and corner of the state. These street corners are being addressed by state as well as national level leaders. Processions are being brought out to canvass for the rally. The social media team of the state party has launched a blitzkrieg of promotional material. Colourful posters in Bengali, Hindi and English, cartoons, memes, short audio-visual clips, audio clips etc have taken social media by storm. The student, youth and women wings of the party have launched a massive campaign drive. Comrades have embarked on a door-to-door campaign to convince people belonging to every socio-economic strata of society to attend the rally at the Brigade Ground. Fund raising initiatives have also been going on in full swings with top leadership leading the way. Comrades have been visiting market places, bus stops, railway stations to raise fund. Enthusiastic by-standers have spontaneously come forward to contribute according to her or his ability. Preparations are afoot to make this programme a grand success before the upcoming general elections and send a strong message to the opposition parties.
Referral Links
- https://www.anandabazar.com/state/cpm-seeks-content-from-public-for-brigade-1.924670
- https://www.deccanherald.com/national/bengal-cpm-turns-social-media-710876.html
- http://zeenews.india.com/bengali/state/cpim-trying-to-make-connetion-with-youth-by-circulating-whatsapp-number_239827.html
- https://www.newsclick.in/cpim-graduates-graffiti-social-media-brigade-rally
- https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TimesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOIKM%2F2019%2F01%2F05&entity=Ar01008&sk=B6E3E098&mode=text&fbclid=IwAR1P4pNgzKqN0ai_7VNwg4cHMpwmv7hbfmEH3sE8O1a7UwTRfxkdPkXJKgU
- https://www.anandabazar.com/state/cpm-special-focus-on-social-media-usage-1.929966#.XDa9srnSfZQ.whatsapp
People's Brigade 