Moga thunders in Resistance

Boota Singh Mehmoodpur

Moga, August 8: Over three dozen people’s democratic organisations from Punjab united in a powerful rally and protest march to condemn the ongoing brutal massacre of Adivasis and their ally resistance forces. The protest sharply denounced state-sponsored violence and called for an immediate halt to all military operations, including Operation Kagaar, in Adivasi regions; an end to fake encounters, custodial killings, and all forms of state repression; the dismantling of police camps from tribal areas; and a complete withdrawal of police and paramilitary forces from Adivasi territories. The rally was a resounding assertion of democratic solidarity with Adivasi struggles and a clear demand to stop the war on the people.

The protesters resoundingly demanded an end to the corporate plunder of water, forests, land, and minerals in Adivasi regions, denouncing the exploitative economic models that prioritise corporate profit over indigenous lives and livelihoods. They called for the scrapping of these anti-people policies and demanded a complete halt to drone and helicopter bombings targeting Adivasi communities. The protest also raised a clear call for the repeal of draconian laws such as the UAPA and AFSPA, the dissolution of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and the unconditional release of all imprisoned democratic rights activists. Protesters further demanded the lifting of bans on people’s organisations and movements and the restoration of the democratic rights to protest and resist. The message was unequivocal: the state must stop waging war on its own people and oblige the democratic rights and constitutional guarantees of all citizens.

Before the march, a massive gathering of farmers, workers, youth, students, women, rationalists, defenders of democratic rights, progressive writers, artists, and cultural activists at the grain market was addressed by various leaders. State President of BKU Ekta (Ekta-Ugrahan) Joginder Singh Ugrahan, State President of the Indian Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU) Kulwinder Singh Warraich, General Secretary of the Punjab KhetMazdoor Union Lakhman Singh Sewewala, Convener of the Anti-Operation Green Hunt Democratic Front Dr. Parminder, General Secretary of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Dakonda) Harnek Singh Mehima, State Press Secretary of the Krantikari Kisan Union Avtar Singh Mehima, State President of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Krantikari) Baldev Singh Zira, State President of the PenduMazdoor Union Tarsem Peter, President of the Karkhana Mazdoor Union Lakhwinder Singh, State President of the Tarksheel Society Punjab Rajinder Bhadaur, State President of the Jamhoori Adhikar Sabha Punjab Pritpal Singh, State President of PSU; Ranbir Singh Randhawa, Leader of PSU (Shaheed Randhawa) Hushiar Singh, State President of the Medical Practitioners Association Dhanna Mall Goel; Dilbag Singh Zira, State Joint President of Krantikari Pendu Mazdoor Union; and District President of the Ex-Servicemen Krantikari Union Balkaran Singh addressed the gathering. The Dalit and Mazdoor Mukti Morcha, the Auto Rickshaw Union Moga, and several other mass organisations also participated in the gathering.

They said that the bloody operations being carried out by deploying hundreds of thousands of paramilitary forces in Bastar and other Adivasi regions are aimed at handing over the water-forest-land and mineral wealth of the country to foreign and domestic corporate monopolies.

By abandoning all democratic and human values and resorting to bombings through drones and helicopters, it is clear that the Modi government is hell-bent on wiping out the Adivasi people and other struggling forces defending their rights in order to clear the forests for initiating mining projects owned by predatory capitalists.

As part of this brutal war, pro-people writers, public intellectuals, and activists of democratic and human rights who rightfully oppose the government’s anti-people policies and repressive attacks are being imprisoned under false cases, while Adivasis and Maoists are being killed in staged encounters.

The rapacious greed of big corporate houses is driving an all-out assault on the farmlands, agriculture, and mineral wealth of the entire country. What is unfolding in Adivasi regions today is not an isolated war–it is the frontline of a larger rapacious campaign to seize resources through violence and repression. If India’s working masses do not rise in united resistance now, this corporate-driven war will soon engulf people across every state. The time to act is not later–but now.

This fascist reign of terror unleashed in Adivasi regions is targeting resistance forces in Punjab as well, in service of the same corporate interests. Here too, as people’s struggles advance, the violations of democratic rights and increasing repression through restrictions and bans will intensify.

Hence, there is an urgent need for a united struggle against this coordinated offensive waged in the interest of corporate capital worldwide, and this joint rally marks a historic step in that direction.

The gathering rang with the voice of resistance as writer, translator, and democratic activist Boota Singh Mehmoodpur presented a set of resolutions, all of which were passed unanimously. These resolutions tore into the state’s war on its citizens–demanding the immediate cessation of Operation Kagaar and all other paramilitary offensives in Adivasi territories, an end to the cold-blooded massacres of Adivasis and Maoists, and the scrapping of anti-people economic policies designed to serve corporate greed at the cost of the poor. A special resolution condemned the ongoing genocide in Gaza and declared the rally’s unflinching solidarity with the Palestinian people’s struggle for liberation.

In a poignant moment, a message of solidarity from Dr Navsharan, distinguished democratic activist and daughter of legendary playwright Gursharan Singh, was read out. She informed in her message that this September, Gursharan Singh’s birth anniversary in Amritsar would be dedicated to the cause of Adivasi struggles. This forum extended a call for all democratic voices to stand united and participate in the commemorative event.
Songs of resistance and solidarity were performed by a host of singers, most notably by JagsirJeeda of PLS Manch, whose stirring verses carried the fire of struggle into the hearts of the participants. Stage secretary JagtarKalajhar steered the proceedings with precision and efficiency.

The Moga Rally
Harsh Thakor adds:

A powerful voice has been raised from the land of Moga against the oppressive onslaught unleashed by the Modi government on the most oppressed and marginalised tribal communities in the country. The meeting demanded to stop the attacks on intellectuals, democratic rights activists, maoists revolutionaries and all those steadfastly defending tribal rights. A link was forged between the massacres of tribal farmers with the multi-pronged offensive on Punjab farmers’ lands, the destruction of livelihoods, and the widespread attack on the environment, triggered by global corporate giants. The concerns voiced during the speeches at the gathering ranged from the tribal regions to the brutal oppression in Kashmir. A voice was also raided in solidarity with the struggling Palestinians and aginst inhuman atrocities being committed by Israel in Gaza.

The rally marked a historic stepping stone in fermenting a united struggle against the coordinated offensive waged on behalf of corporate capital worldwide.

The Moga rally on August 8 is a testament to the organised strength of masses of Punjab against social and economic injustice.

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Frontier
Vol 58, No. 11, Sep 7 - 13, 2025