Walking for Justice: CPM's 50-Day March Across Bengal Tests Political Waters

Mansoor, a 35-year-old migrant laborer, had to trek 23 days from his place of employment in Gujarat to his home in East Burdwan after the Center imposed a statewide lockdown in 2020 because to the Covid-19 epidemic.

Mansoor was able to walk once more after over three years. This time, he marched for 50 days as part of the DYFI's "Insaaf Yatra (march for justice)" from Bengal's hills to its plains, fighting the "communal BJP" and the "corrupt Trinamul" and demanding education for all state students as well as jobs for young people.

The 50-day Insaaf Yatra came to an end on Friday in Jadavpur, Calcutta, having traveled across 22 districts since its beginning in Coochbehar on November 3.

“In these 50 days, we have hiked more than 2,200 km. Rather than taking a straight route, we visited every district for more than a day, spending seven days in East Burdwan and Murshidabad. We traveled about 300 kilometers in Murshidabad. We marched for at least 11 hours every day, covering around 50 kilometers, with lunch breaks and sporadic stops to honor the people who used to spontaneously show up to offer their unwavering support and voice their grievances to the marchers, according to DYFI leader Kalatan Dasgupta.

Even though the CPM's organizational machinery was clearly stamped on the Insaaf Yatra, a senior CPM leader advised doing it for 50 days straight and that gains should be recognized even in regions where the organizational structure is essentially nonexistent.

Apurba Chatterjee, a member of the East Burdwan district secretariat, stated, "Yes, it was a planned political program, but the fact that young people led by DYFI state secretary Minakshi Mukherjee and her allies could overcome obstacles placed in the way of the yatra by the police and the administration is in itself a positive outcome for the CPM in the run-up to the 2024 polls and beyond."

With reference to the impromptu nature of the lengthy march, Dasgupta noted that when the marchers passed through rural Bengal, they witnessed farmers expressing their anguish over the absence of government help for them, while in urban areas, gig workers shared their stories and joined the yatra.

Because West Burdwan's industrial belt doesn't have much to offer, a large portion of the rural population is migrating in search of work, and agriculture is under extreme strain. In an attempt to take advantage of the situation, communal forces are dividing voters along religious lines. We marched through these areas of hardship because these people need political struggle to obtain "insaaf," or justice. It is necessary to combat the corrupt and wicked on the ground. Dasgupta stated, "The struggle has only been sparked by the Insaaf Yatra.

Minakshi, the state secretary for DYFI, is also aware of how crucial it is to build relationships with the public in order to turn around elections.

"Let the people stand up to put an end to the state's looting." On the final day of the march, she declared, "We will continue to be watchful on the streets."

Speaking to The Telegraph recently, Md. Salim, the state secretary of CPM, cited the Insaaf Yatra and the "overwhelming response" from the public as a sign of the Left's future in the state. However, the cautious members of the party believe it is premature to declare that the Insaaf Yatra will bring about a shift in the Left's election results anytime soon.

The younger generation has taken up the duty of reestablishing a connection with the people, which is a great consequence. This is something that the party seems to have forgotten during its years in power. However, expecting a result as early as 2024 will be unrealistic. The top CPM leader stated, "We did manage to organize large participation at Brigade Parade ground even after we lost control, but that did not show electorally.

In evaluating the Insaaf Yatra, the ruling Trinamul appears to be in agreement with the CPM veteran.

Over the course of its 34-year tenure, CPM failed to effectively connect people. How are they going to proceed with their alleged Insaaf Yatra now? stated Tapas Roy, a spokesperson for the party and a leader in Trinamul.

Veteran CPM member Sujan Chakrabarty, who participated in the march on Friday, underlined the hard reality, saying, "Insaaf Yatra ends today but at the same time it doesn't end too." We will not stop marching.

The CPM's march is only getting started, but given Bengal's political situation, it might go on for a while.