Shankar Guha Niyogi (1943-1991)
A year ago on 28th September 1991, Shankar Guha Niyogi was assassinated in the midst of a tense
struggle for the most basic human rights of metal workers in Bhilai, Madhya Pradesh, India. In the hilly mineral-
rich tribal belt stretching from Andhra Pradesh to Bihar, the emergence of a modern steel industry has disrupted the
local Adivasi (tribal) way of life and provided unskilled employment in mines and ancillary metal indurtries, but
given few opportunities for socio-economic advancement, particularly in the state-owned integrated steel plants.
Shankar Guha Niyogi founded the Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha (Chhattisgarh Liberation Front) to help the Adivasis
stand up for their rights guaranteed in the Indian Constitution.
In 15 years, his movement succeeded in winning regular employment for 30,000 mine workers, challenging
the reckless exploitation of precious forests by unscrupulous conn-actors, breaking the habit of alcoholism and the
stranglehold of moneylenders, building a hospital where there was none, setting up schools for children of miners,
helping women to assert their rightful position in society, defending communal harmony, and winning the hearts of
hundreds of thousands common people. Niyogi's legacy is the integration of economic development, struggle for
economic rights, and comprehensive social reform - unity between the peasant and worker. But despite Niyogi's
commitment to non-violence, police bullets have taken the lives of 33 workers and citizens since 1977. He gave his
life in struggle for the common people of Chhattisgarh and has been widely hailed as an innovator in the struggle for
social justice in South Asia.
Punjabi Arts Association of Edmonton, Canada
Though officially formed last year, the group of artists who work with this organization have been
performing for over eight years, and have presented some 17 different shows, mosdy theater in Edmonton,
Winnepeg, Calgary and Williamslake in Canada as well as in San Francisco, Bakersfield and Berkeley in California.
They will present two short plays in Punjabi. One play deals with the horrors during the anti-Sikh riots
following Indira Gandhi's assassination. While their play addresses the horrors of mob hysteria, the essential
message is one of humanity that binds aggrieved human beings regardless of ethnic or religious identity.
The other play deals with the relentless exploitation to which workers and peasants in India are victim,
regardless of the cosmetic electoral changes. As the themes of their plays show, their main objective is to promote
social awareness through progressive arts.
Safdar Hashmi (1954-1989)
Talented activist-artist Safdar Hashmi was beaten to death by goons associated with the ruling Congress
Party while performing a street play at Jhandapur in the Sahibabad industrial belt adjoining Delhi in January 1989.
The 34-year-old dramatist founded the Jan Natya Manch in 1973 while he was a student at Delhi's St. Stephen's
College.
Following his death, India Today (January 31, 1989) wrote: "... on the second day of the new year, the
capital had resounded to cries of a different sort - heart-rendering zindabad and lal salaams" for Safdar Hashmi,
"philosopher, poet and street dramatist who could recite Ghalib and Marx with equal virtuosity. He had devoted his
life to bringing about social change using street theater loaded with satire and symbolism. ... His death galvanized
the entire cultural world, who turned their shock into angry nationwide protest against this insane attack."
APPEAL
As a result of sharpening conflict with Bhilai industrialists, some 20,000 metal workers have been thrown
out of work since May 1992. Sixteen workers fell to police bullets and scores were injured during peaceful mass
demonstrations in Bhilai on 1st July 1992 against the Madhya Pradesh state government, which remains
reluctant to prosecute the industrialists responsible for Niyogi's murder. With each passing week, idled workers
find it increasingly difficult to feed and cloth their families. The Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha's (CMM) resources
are exhausted. Yet the struggle for justice must go on. CMM has appealed for help to save the workers and their
families from further economic and health hardship. South Asians for Collective Action has established a special
fund to help. Your generous donations are urgently needed. Please mark your contribution for the "Niyogi Fund"
and send it payable to:
South Asians for Collective Action
P.O. Box 3086
Fremont, CA 94539-0308
South Asian Collection (SJSU)
