APRIL

April 1, 1995
MOU BETWEEN ASSAM GOVERNMENT AND LEADERS OF ASDC SIGNED
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed providing enhanced powers to the councils of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills under the provisions of the Sixth Schedule.
Articles:
Sangma, Milton S and Venkata V. Rao (1994). 'Essays on North-east India', presented in memory of Prof. V. Venkata, Dept. of History, North Eastern Hill Univ., India: Indus Publishing.
Websites:
www.asthabharati.org/Dia_Jan06/anil.htm
www.cpiml.org/pgs/polorgreport/7.htm
[For more on the Karbi-Dimasa Autonomous State movement, see May 17]

April 1, 2008
5,000 VILLAGERS GATHER TO PROTEST AGAINST THE PROPOSED POSCO STEEL PLANT
Vowing to prevent any work from beginning on the proposed POSCO steel plant, protestors occupied the plant site. With their means of livelihood taken away from them, and little hope for decent employment in the steel factory, the determined struggle continues.
Websites:
www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSDEL42201
[For more on struggle against POSCO in Orissa, see April 18]

April 2-5, 2006
MAZDOOR ADHIKAR MELA HELD AT BOKARO
The Mela was aimed at empowering unorganised and contract workers from the industrial belts of Jharkhand, Orissa, Chattisgarh, West Bengal and Bihar. The initiative was taken up a number of trade unions, alliances of mining affected communities, and women's, human rights and labour support organisations.
Websites:
www.labourfile.org/newsMore.aspx?Nid=89
www.mazdooradhikarmela.in/Contact.php
www.cec-india.org/folder.2007-11-14.2703578213/03/leftlinks/03/Mazdoor%20AD%20Me.pdf
www.sabrang.com/cc/archive/2006/nov06/cover5.html

April 3, 2001
JAN SUNWAI (PUBLIC HEARING) AT JANAWAD, RAJASTHAN ASSERTING RIGHT TO INFORMATION
The Jan Sunwai secured a commitment from the government to socially audit all rural development funds so as to increase accountability and transparency. This has inspired a widening of the process of conducting social audits throughout the country.
Articles:
Roy, Aruna and Nikhil Dey (2001). 'Chasing a Right,' India's National Magazine: indiaserver.com, Vol. 18, No. 7 (www.mkssindia.org/node/47)
_________(2004). 'Fighting for the Right to Know in India'.
(www.freedominfo.org/documents/rtiessay.pdf)
Movement Features (2000-2007), Kriti: New Delhi, pp. 37.
Websites:
http://data.undp.org.in/hdrc/dis-srs/Rajasthan/Right%20to%20Info.pdf
www.freedominfo.org/documents/rtiessay.pdf
[For more on Right to Information Movement, see June 15]

April 4, 1982
JAL SHRAMIK SANGH OF PANIDARI MOVEMENT FORMED
Jal Shramik Sangh was formed by fishworkers to voice their protest against the unjust water tax or 'panidari'. The Ganga Mukti Andolan was born in this process.
[For more on Panidari Movement, see February 22]

April 5-6, 1994
150,000 PROTEST IN NEW DELHI AGAINST THE CREATION OF WTO
More than 150,000 gathered in New Delhi to protest the soon-to-be-signed General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) treaty, which was to create the World Trade Organisation.
Websites:
http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/infopool/agitprop/margins.htm#new-delhi
[For more on anti-WTO protests, see March 19, September 29]

April 6, 2005
CO-ORDINATION COMMITTEE AGAINST URANIUM MINING LAUNCHED IN MEGHALAYA
The Committee was formed in the context of Uranium Corporation of India proposing to start mining at Domiasiat of West Khasi Hills, Meghalaya. UCIL also operates the uranium mines in Jaduguda, Jharkhand where mining has created serious health and environmental hazards.
Articles:
Shimray, U.A. and M.V. Ramana (2008). 'Uranium Mining in Meghalaya: A Simmering Problem', Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 42, No. 52.
Websites:
www.minesandcommunities.org//search.php?words=Meghalaya
www.wise-uranium.org/upinml.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3000991.stm
www.myindiareport.in/2007/09/20/the-uranium-conflict-in-meghalaya/
www.downtoearth.org.in/full6.asp?foldername=20070715&filename=news&sec_id=4&sid=1
http://paguntaka.org/2008/05/11/meghalaya-oppose-nuclear-power-plant-or-mine-uranium/
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=9JSVFJjhcd4 Video on Uranium Mining in Meghalaya.
[For more on the uranium mining in Meghalaya, see January 7, October 5]

April 7, 1979
UNITED LIBERATION FRONT OF ASOM (ULFA) FORMED
ULFA was formed by a group that broke away from the All Assam Students Union (AASU) in 1979 with the purpose of deporting illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and demanding that  their names to be struck off from electoral rolls.
Articles:
Upadhyay, R. (2005). 'United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA)  A Deviated Movement?', South Asia Group Analysis, Paper No. 1307.
(www.southasiaanalysis.org/%5Cpapers14%5Cpaper1307.html).
Books:
Gohain, Hirendra Nath (1985). Assam: A Burning Question, Guwahati: Spectrum Publications.
Rafiabadi, H.N. (1988). Assam: From Agitation to Accord, New Delhi: Genuine Publications & Media.
Baruah, Sanjib (1999). Indian against Itself, New Delhi: Oxford University Press.

April 7, 2000
KINARA BACHAO SANGARSH SAMITI PROTESTS UMBERGAON PORT PROJECT IN GUJARAT
Umbergaon, a fishing village in Gujarat and a natural harbour, was selected as a site for a large commercial port. This proposal was, however, opposed by local fisherfolk, about 1,00,000 of whom depend on fisheries for their livelihood. A port very close to the present site falling in Maharashtra State was cancelled on ecological grounds.
Articles:
Joshi, Satyakam (2000). 'State, Development and Discontent. Peoples' Protest in Umbergaon', Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 35, No. 32 http://209.85.175.104/search?q=cache:bgpw8g7rDQcJ:www.epw.org.in/epw/uploads/Articles:/6954.pdf+umbergaon+protest+against+port&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=8&gl=in)
Books:
Roy, Arundhati (2004). An Ordinary Person's Guide to Empire, Cambridge: South End Press
Films:
Vikas Bandook ko Naal se (Development Flows from the Barrel of a Gun) (2002, 54 min), Directed by: Biju Toppo and Meghnath
Websites:
www.pucl.org/reports/Gujarat/policeterror.htm
http://209.85.175.104/search?q=cache - SEZ and Land Acquisition: Resistance Movements in Defense of Rural Lives and Livelihoods.
www.indiatogether.org/petitions/maroli.htm
www.issuesinmedicalethics.org/083re098.html
www.rediff.com/news/2000/may/08dilip.htm
www.hinduonnet.com/2001/07/22/stories/1322061c.htm

April 7, 2004
ADIVASIS PROTEST FORCEFUL EVICTION IN NIYAMGIRI
Adivasi movements opposed the proposed bauxite mining plant to be set up by Vedanta Resources in the Niyamgiri Hills of Lanjigarh, Orissa.
[For more on anti-bauxite mining by Vedanta, see June22]

April 10, 1859
INDIGO REVOLT IN BENGAL BEGINS
Farmers in Bengal forced to grow indigo instead of food crops revolted. The exploitative and oppressive means by which planters extracted indigo from the peasants at abysmally low prices accompanied by loans with excessively high rates of interest, fuelled the peasant revolt.
Articles:
Bhattacharya, Subhas (1977). 'The Indigo Revolt of Bengal', Social Scientist, Vol. 5, No. 12, pp. 13-23.
Books:
Bagal, J. C. (1953). Peasant Revolution in Bengal, Calcutta: Bharati Library.
Sinha, N. K. (1967). The History of Bengal, 1757-1905, Calcutta: University of Calcutta.
Bose, S. (1993). Peasant Labour and Colonial Capital: Rural Bengal since 1770, The New Cambridge History of India, III, 2, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Websites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nilbidraha

April 10-16, 2005
GLOBAL WEEK OF ACTION ON TRADE
The first major global mobilisation on trade issues, the purpose of the mass demonstrations was to protest against the current largely unaccountable, corporate-led, and un-democratic process of economic globalisation and to unite in the call for greater justice and democracy.
Websites:
www.whiteband.org/media/gcap-news/gcapnews.2007-04-18.5771312844
www.globalissues.org/TradeRelated/April16.asp
www.50years.org/
[For more on anti-WTO protests, see March 19, September 29]

April 11, 1936
THE FOUNDING SESSION OF ALL-INDIA KISAN SABHA HELD
Beginning with the formation of the Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha to organise peasants in Bihar, this mobilisation spread across the country, culminating in the foundation of the All-India Kisan Sabha in 1936 in Lucknow. Linking issues faced by peasants with those of imperialism, the movement gathered momentum as a spate of powerful peasant uprisings sprung up, following the end of World War II.
Articles:
Yardumian, Rose (1945). 'Record of the Kisan Sabha', Far Eastern Survey, Vol. 14, No. 11, pp. 141-44.
Bhalla, G.S. (1983). 'Peasant Movement and Agrarian Change in India', Social Scientist, Vol. 11, No. 8, pp. 39-57.
Singh, Lata (1992). 'The Bihar Kisan Sabha Movement: 1933-1939', Social Scientist, Vol. 20, No. 5/6, pp. 21-33.
Books:
Namboodiripad, E. M. S. (1954). The Peasant in National Economic Construction, Delhi: People's Publishing House.
Siddiqi, M. H. (1978). Agrarian Unrest in North India: The United Provinces, 1918-22, New Delhi: Vikas Publishers.
Ralhan, O. P. (1998). All India Kisan Sabha, Encyclopedia of Political Parties Series, New Delhi: Anmol Publications.
Mukherjee, M. (2004). Peasants in India's Non-Violent Revolution: Practice and Theory, Sage Series in Modern Indian History, 5, New Delhi: Sage Publications.

April 12
NATIONAL STREET THEATRE DAY
Marking the birthday of theatre activist and playwright, Safdar Hashmi, April 12 is celebrated as National Street Theatre Day. In 1989, following his death on January 2, Safdar's birthday was celebrated with over 30,000 performances across the country.
Websites:
www.jananatyamanch.org

April 13, 1930
SALT SAYTAGRAHA IN KERALA BEGINS FROM KOZHIKODE
Following the famous Dandi March where marchers broke the law and made salt without paying any tax, as a symbolic form of protest, civil disobedience spread to all parts of the country. In Kerala the march began from Kozhikode to reach Payyannur where salt was actually made.
Articles:
Jeffrey, Robin (1978). 'Matriliny, Marxism, and the Birth of the Communist Party in Kerala, 1930-1940', The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 38, No. 1.
Websites:
www.payyanur.com/freedom.htm
http://kerals.com/kerala/freedom.htm
www.hindu.com/mag/2006/01/29/stories/2006012900140400.htm
www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2117/stories/20040827003109700.htm

April 14, 2007
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS DAY AND DALIT RIGHTS DAY
Action 2007 observed this day as Constitutional Rights and Dalit Rights Day to mark Dr. Ambedkar's birth anniversary.
Websites:
http://Dalitrights.com/
www.Dalitfoundation.org/
www.Dalitvoice.org/
www.ncdhr.org.in/

April 15, 2007
10-DAY PROTEST FOR THE RELEASE OF PANCHEN LAMA
The protest that took place at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi demanded the release of the Panchen Lama, the second highest spiritual figure in Tibetan Buddhism, and also the world's youngest political prisoner. Taken into custody by Chinese authorities soon after his recognition at the age of six as the successor of the previous Panchen Lama, he has been missing since 1995. Solidarity protests were organised across the country.
Websites:
www.tibetanwomen.org/publications/newsletters/2006/2006.3-twa_newsletter.pdf
www.phayul.com/

April 17, 1930
MANIPUR DRAMATIC UNION WAS FORMED
1922 marked a major literary revival in Manipur with the publication of the first Manipuri journal, Meitei Chanu, edited by the political leader Hijam Irabot. The year also saw the birth of proscenium theatre eventually leading to the establishment of the Manipur Dramatic Union.
Articles:
Singh, Elangbam Nilakanta (1996). 'Irabat and Social and Cultural Awakening in Manipur'. (http://themanipurpage.tripod.com/history/irabat.html).
Books:
Singh, Manihar (1966). A History of Manipuri Literature, New Delhi: Sahitya Academy.
Websites:
www.e-pao.net/
www.e-pao.net/

April 17, 1986
WOMEN'S MARCH IN DELHI AGAINST THE MUSLIM WOMEN BILL
Responding to the strong reaction from a section of the Muslim clergy to the Shah Bano judgment, a Bill was introduced in Parliament in August 1985 excluding Muslim women from the purview of Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which makes it obligatory for a man to provide maintenance to his wife, children or parents unable to maintain themselves. Amidst strong opposition, the Bill was passed on May 6, 1986.
Articles:
Bilimoria, Purushottam. 'Muslim Personal Law in India: Colonial Legacy and Current Debates' (www.law.emory.edu/ifl/cases/India.htm#04)
Singh, Kirti (1993). 'Women's Rights and the Reform of Personal Laws'. In Gyanendra Pandey (Ed.), Hindus and Others: The Question of Identity in India Today, New Delhi: Viking.
Books:
Parashar, Archana (1992). Women and Family Law Reform in India: Uniform Civil Code and Gender Equality, New Delhi/London: Sage Publications.
Kumar, Radha (1993). The History of Doing: An Illustrated Account of Movements for Women's Rights and Feminism in India, 1800-1990, Zubaan.
Narain, Vrinda (2008). Reclaiming the Nation: Muslim Women and the Law in India, Canada: University of Toronto Press.

April 17, 2002
KRRS PROTESTS AGAINST GOVERNMENT'S CLEARANCE OF 'BT' COTTON
The promotion of genetically modified Bt Cotton seeds, (traded by Mahyco-Monsanto) was strongly opposed by Karnataka State Farmers' Collective (KRRS) due to its ill-effects and dangers as also its failure in many parts of India (for e.g. Vidharbha, Maharashtra) as well as the world.
Articles:
Stone, Glenn Davis (2002). 'Biotechnology and Suicide in India'
(www.grain.org/research_files/biotechandsuicide.pdf)
Books:
Vandana Shiva, et al (2002). Seeds of Suicide: The Ecological and Human Costs of Globalisation of Agriculture, New Delhi: Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology (http://navdanya.org/publications/seeds-of-suicide.pdf)
Websites:
www.indiatogether.org/2006/jun/ivw-herring.htm
http://squat.net/caravan/ICC-en/Krrs-en/Monquitin-en.htm
www.hindu.com/2007/02/16/stories/2007021617501300.htm
www.thehindu.com/2008/08/28/stories/2008082855781000.htm - Herring, Ron (2008). 'Bt Cotton: Why So Many Smart People Get it Wrong, The Hindu, Thursday, August 28
www.thehindubusinessline.com/2002/04/15/stories/2002041500961300.htm

April 17, 2004
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FARMERS' STRUGGLES
Commemorating the 1996 massacre in Brazil of 19 landless workers struggling for land, this day is also celebrated as International Day of Peasants' Struggles. The day calls for raising a voice of protest against capitalist globalisation that perpetrates the transfer of land from traditional land holders to big corporations and other private enterprises.
Websites:
www.all4all.org/2004/01/564.shtml
www.grassrootsonline.org/news-publications/press-releases/april-17th-international-day-peasant039s-struggle

April 18, 2007
HUNDREDS OF CHILDREN MARCH TO THE PROPOSED POSCO STEEL PLANT SITE
Among the mega-projects promoted by the Orissa Government with little concern for large-scale displacement of farmers and fishermen as well as environmental degradation, a 12 million tonne steel plant by South Korean steelmaker POSCO is among the most destructive. To mark their protest against the project, a rally led by children marched through the villages at the proposed plant site.
Articles:
Sahoo, Sarbeswar (2005). 'Tribal Displacement and Human Rights Violation in Orissa', Social Action: A Quarterly Review of Social Trends, Vol. 55, No. 2.
(http://sahoo.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/displacement-human-right.pdf)
Asher, Mansi (2006). 'Steel not Enough?', Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 41, No. 7.
Debaranjan (2008). 'Why POSCO Should Leave', Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 43, No. 25.
Websites:
http://maoistresistance.wordpress.com/2007/04/19/posco-protest-trail-marks-village-tracks/
www.freewebs.com/epgorissa/posco.htm
http://forestrightsact.awardspace.com/updates/update_13.08.08.htm

April 19, 2007
POLICE FIRING ON VILLAGERS IN GHATEHA, MADHYA PRADESH
With the purpose of evicting the Adivasi landless families who occupied land in Ghateha village illegally notified as Forest Land, the Forest Department came down heavily on the group of unarmed protestors firing indiscriminately, successfully terrorising the Adivasis who were forced to flee, hiding for fear of subsequent police persecution.
Websites:
www.indiatogether.org/2007/may/soc-ghateha.htm
http://infochangeindia.org/200705085543/Human-Rights/Features/Brutal-eviction.html
http://singur-singur.blogspot.com/2007/04/police-firing-continuing-on-4000.html
http://singur-singur.blogspot.com/2007/05/terror-continues-in-ghateha-village.html

April 20, 2006
SELF DETERMINATION DAY IN MEMORY OF THE VICTIMS OF KASHMIR'S STRUGGLE
This day commemorates all those who lost their lives, disappeared and victimised in the struggle for self-determination in Kashmir It is also an occasion to express solidarity to all those who continue to suffer and struggle.
Books:
(2004). AASIA - Martyr of Peace, Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society.
Websites:
www.jkccs.org/Main%20page%20Content/ksd.HTM
www.ikv.nl/
www.tamilinfoservice.com/manitham/article/2004/2.htm

April 21, 1987
BOAT RALLY HELD IN PATNA DEMANDING ABOLITION OF PANIDARI SYSTEM
[For more on the Panidari movement, see February 22]

April 22, 2002
LAUNCH OF ANTI-COCA COLA CAMPAIGN IN PLACHIMADA
Situated in the Palakkad district of Kerala, local Adivasis launched a struggle demanding that the Coca-Cola plant be shut down following depletion of ground and surface water. They also demanded that Coca-Cola be made liable for the damage caused to the livelihoods of local communities.
Articles:
Bijoy, C.R. (2004). 'Adivasis Launch Struggle against Coca Cola', The Forum of Inquilabi Leftists, Ghadar, India. (http://ghadar.insaf.net/June2004/pdf/coke.pdf)
Wrammer, Eva (2004) 'Fighting Cocacolanisation in Plachimada: Water, Soft Drinks and a Tragedy of the Commons in an Indian Village,' Lund University. (www.sasnet.lu.se/plachimada.pdf)
Films:
The Bitter Drink (26 min, Malayalam with English subtitles, 2003), Directed by: P. Baburaj and C. Saratchandran.
Websites:
www.killercoke.org/
http://ghadar.insaf.net/June2004/MainPages/coke.htm
www.indiaresource.org/campaigns/coke/
www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2005/anti_coca_cola_campaign_happen.html
www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jun2005/2005-06-09-02.asp
http://infochangeindia.org/20050201374/Water-Resources/Features/Plachimada-vs-Coca-Cola-1000-days-on.html

April 24, 1930
SALT LAW BROKEN IN PAYYANNUR, KERALA
The march that started in Kozhikode, reached Payyannur to break the salt law in defiance of British law.
[For more on Salt Satyagraha in Kerala, see April 13]

April 25, 2005
INDEFINITE DHARNA STAGED TO ASSERT THE RIGHTS OF FISHWORKERS
Fishworkers led by National Fishworkers Forum staged an indefinite dharna at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi to reiterate their demands including a ban on industrial aquaculture, enactment of fishing regulations in the Exclusive Economic Zone, and the scrapping of mega projects like Sethusamudram and Umbergaon ports that would negatively impact the livelihood security of small and marginal fishworkers.
Websites:
http://osdir.com/ml/culture.india.sarai.reader/2005-04/msg00161.html
[For more on fishworkers' movement, see May 1]

April 26, 2004
PROTEST MARCH IN SHILLONG ON THE OCCASION OF 'WORLD ANTI-URANIUM DAY'
On the occasion of World Anti-Uranium Day, concerned organisations took out a protest march in the streets of Shillong, having recently returned from the uranium mines at Jaduguda, Jharkhand and assessing the conditions and impacts of uranium mining.
[For more on anti-uranium struggles in Meghalaya, see January 7, April 6, October 5]

April 29, 2003
MATU PEOPLE'S ORGANISATION'S MARCH EXPOSING INADEQUATE REHABILITATION AT TEHRI DAM
Uttarakhand-based organisation, Matu Jan Sangathan, organised a march, 'Dhol kee Pol: Pol kee Khol' from April 29 to May 11, to disclose the emptiness of rehabilitation measures at Tehri Dam. Matu organised meetings at various places along the march route.
Articles:
Bose, Ashish (1997). 'The Tehri Dam Project and Issues of Population, Development, and Environment, Population, Environment, and Development, Tata Energy Resource Group, New Delhi pp. 229-248.
Books:
Rao, Shivaji T. (1992). Tehri Dam is a Time Bomb, New Delhi: Vani Printers.
Singh, Mridula (1992). Displacement by Sardar Sarovar and Tehri: A Comparative Study of Two Dams, Multiple Action Research Group (MARG), New Delhi.
Singh, V and M.L. Sharma (Eds.) (1998). Mountain Ecosystems: A Scenario of Unsustainability', New Delhi: Indus Publishing Company.
Shiva, Vandana (2002). Water Wars: Privatisation, Pollution, and Profit, Cambridge: South End Press.
Shiva, Vandana and Jalees Salwar (2003). Ganga: Common Heritage or Corporate Commodity?, New Delhi: Navdanya.
Websites:
www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/free/dams/tehri_dam1.htm
www.mytehri.com/tehri_dam_new.php