Bhiwandi: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday staged a sit-in protest at the Bhiwandi Prant Office, pressing for the resolution of several long-pending issues affecting tribal communities, workers, farmers and students across the region.
The protesters highlighted pending forest rights claims of tribal families, acute water shortages, rising electricity bills, and multiple labour-related grievances. They also demanded proper implementation of the public distribution system, timely work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), immediate filling of vacant teacher posts, and withdrawal of alleged plans to shut down Zilla Parishad schools.
Protest Continues Till Evening
The sit-in protest continued till late evening, with demonstrators declaring that the agitation would be sustained until concrete assurances were translated into action. Slogans criticising the policies of the BJP-led government were raised throughout the protest.
During the agitation, a meeting was held at the Prant Office in the presence of Prant Officer Amit Sanap and Tahsildar Abhijit Khole. Office-bearers from several mass organisations—including the CPI(M), All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch, and the Students’ Federation of India (SFI)—participated in the discussions.
Officials Assure Action
Officials assured the protesters that issues faced by residents of remote and tribal areas would be addressed at the earliest. However, despite the assurance, the sit-in continued till 6 pm, as activists demanded a clear timeline for redressal.
Addressing the gathering, protest leaders alleged that policies pursued over the past 11 years by the BJP-led government had pushed both rural and urban working-class populations into distress. Slogans such as “India belongs to its workers, not to Adani, Ambani, Modi and Shah” echoed at the protest site, reflecting the strong political messaging of the agitation.
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