Tremendous Response
to Eastern Jatha on Day One
Eastern Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha, which started with great enthusiasm in Kolkata on Friday morning ended its first day journey with a massive public meeting in Durgapur at evening. It reached Durgapur after passing through the districts of Howrah, Hooghly and Burdwan. The entire journey was a reflection of people’s love and solidarity with CPI(M)’s struggle.
In many places, including Howrah town, Dankuni, Chuchura, Chandannagore, people gathered and raised slogans on the issues that are being raised by jatha. In Pandua, a meeting was held in which Karat and Biman Basu spoke. In Howrah, Karat and Biman Basu were taken in open-top jeep as large crowds stood on roadside, offering them flowers and ‘red salutes’.
In Palshit in Burdwan district, the scene was moving. Hundreds gathered on Durgapur Expresway. Women with children, and youth received the leaders with drum beating and dance. In Burdwan town, a large gathering attended a public meeting in the Town hall. Hundreds were forced to remain outside the hall. Before that the leaders were taken in a procession which coloured the entire town red.
Most astounding scene was witnessed at dusk in Galsi, in Burdwan district. The bus carrying the leaders was forced to stop as a stream of people thronged to catch a glimpse. Thousands of them, mostly from poor peasant family, tribals and youths joined in a rally with Karat and Biman Basu on the open top jeep. Galsi is an area where Trinamool Congress had run a reign of terror. The jatha seemed to ignite the people’s resolution to fight the terror.
In Durgapur, the city of historic working class struggles, a hall meeting was held. The gathering was huge and greeted the leaders with thundering slogans. Though the hall itself was big one, many people were forced to take seat in the podium and many more remained outside.
