Jharkhand Activists Announce ‘Ulgulan’ Protest, Threaten Indefinite Hunger Strike from November 15

Ranchi: Decades after the formation of Jharkhand, activists who fought for a separate state say several of their long-pending demands remain unfulfilled. Expressing renewed frustration over the delay, members of the Jharkhand Andolankari Sangharsh Morcha have announced a fresh agitation, scheduled to begin on November 15, the state's Foundation Day.

The protest, titled ‘Ulgulan Ek Kranti’, will begin at Birsa Chowk in Ranchi, where the activists plan to launch an indefinite hunger strike along with a sit-in demonstration. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Morcha's Ranchi district unit held in Kanke, where members discussed their outstanding demands and chalked out the strategy for the proposed agitation.

The organisation has primarily demanded an honour pension for those who participated in the Jharkhand statehood movement and reservation benefits for their children in government jobs. The activists maintain that despite their contribution to the struggle for a separate state, issues concerning their recognition, dignity and the future of their families have yet to be adequately addressed.

The Morcha expects a large turnout of activists from different districts of the state for the November 15 programme.

Activists to Arrive with Traditional Weapons

Morcha General Secretary Pushkar Mahto said the struggle to protect the existence, identity and cultural dignity of Jharkhand and its people would continue until their demands were addressed.

He announced that activists would reach Birsa Chowk on November 15 carrying their traditional weapons, marking the beginning of the agitation.

The proposed protest carries particular significance as it coincides with Jharkhand's Foundation Day, which also marks the birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda. While the state celebrates the occasion to commemorate its formation in 2000, the activists plan to use the day to draw attention to what they describe as the unfulfilled promises made to those who fought for statehood.

With the Morcha announcing an indefinite hunger strike and a statewide mobilisation, attention will now be on the scale of participation and the government's response to the activists' demands.