August 31, 1959 is marked as the 'Food Movement Martyrs Day'. Remembering that day in this article let's move the writing period forward a few years. This article is set in 1966, On February 17, defying the Konkan winter, a group of students went to the police station in Basirhat's Swarupnagar to demand food and kerosene. Nurul Islam and some others were killed by the police. On the other hand, Anand Hait, a class VII student, was martyred in police firing in Krishnanagar on March 4 (Hari Biswas, Arjun Ghosh the next day). The whole of Bengal became agitated, the stubborn people demanding food and kerosene. It should be remembered that in the beginning, the spontaneous movement of students, poor people to realize this demand was devoid of any political color. But after this death march the leftists joined.
1966 - added a few English words acronym - Famine, Levy, Cordon, Ration - understood the meanings own way. Femin means death, levy means tax and ration means bakery bread and kerosene in addition to rice and wheat. Cording brought a special impact, meaning a narrow pillow full of rice - which women used to smuggle rice by tying it under their sarees, cracking the roof-walls of local trains and hiding them in fear of the railway police by 'Ismalgars' (remember Manik Banerjee's short story)! In the name of this cordoning, the police clashed with the rice farmers, which continued throughout the next decade!
Then the market price of rice rose to two rupees and eighty paise per kg; Which is beyond the capacity of the population, but the ration is only 500 grams of rice and 1 kg of wheat per capita for adults. Even vegetables in the market have become unmatched and priceless. Ah, the iron-rich food of chickpeas—boiled in rice and seasoned with a little salt! And Kana Begun is incomparable— (insects are not poisoned) boiled or burnt with a little oil, salt and pepper and can be eaten with rice (Rice Akra, hence Fenavat)!
In 1959, the historic food movement was conducted by leftist parties and organizations. This movement was started by forming the 'Price Increase and Famine Prevention Committee'. The first phase began with the raising of demands in the Legislative Assembly on February 3. On 15 June, the first central rally was held in Calcutta to protest against the Congress government's food policy in the district. Similarly, the protest rally continued in the district. A general strike and hartal was observed across the state on 25th June.
Jail Bharo Movement started on 13th July. 1634 people were arrested within a month. Food Convention was held on 8th August. But still the deaf government did not wake up. Then on 17th August, the 'Price Increase and Famine Prevention Committee' announced that - from 23rd August, a direct agitation for food would be started peacefully across the state. The anti-people Congress government panicked at this announcement. and adopted a plan of violence in the area to quell the movement
The second chapter of the food movement began on August 23. In the middle of the night, the left-wing leaders and activists were arrested and searched from house to house. A total of 2634 people were arrested by the government in two weeks. But people did not stop. People from all over the state became vocal in protesting the crackdown on Leftist leaders and activists. People spontaneously joined the protest in factories and markets. Despite the suppression of the Congress government, the government could not suppress the second phase of the food movement that began on August 23. Now common people also started to be arrested.
7000 men and women were arrested till 27th August. On 31st August, millions of people from Kolkata and rural areas gathered in Shahid Minar Maidan to protest the removal of the Food Minister and the demand for food and police repression. The police batoned the peaceful procession towards Mahakaran. Thousands of people were injured in the police attack. 80 are generally said, but hundreds were killed.
On the last night many dead bodies were removed and disappeared by the Congress government police. On August 31, the police lathi-charged the people's protest rally in Gangarampur and Burdwan, Baharampur, Medinipur of our district.
An oath is celebrated every year on the initiative of the Left Front to commemorate the martyrs of the Food Movement. The Left Front has been continuously responsible for the marginalized people during the government period. After the change of political arena, the leftists are victims of multiple attacks, but the memory of the martyrs of the Food Movement is celebrated in villages.
