Farmers Protest in National Capital Against ‘Anti-Farmer’ Policies
Thousands of farmers and labourers from across the country held a massive protest in the national capital on Wednesday against what they called “anti-people” policies of the Modi government, and demanded higher prices for farm produce, waiver of loans and better wages. The protesters, holding placards and shouting anti-government slogans, marched from Ramlila Maidan to Parliament in Central Delhi, and warned the ruling BJP that it will have to pay a “heavy price” in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls for “ignoring” the demands of the disadvantaged people.
The ‘Mazdoor Kishan Sangharsh Rally’, organised by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) and All-India Agricultural Workers’ Union (AIAWU), also demanded concrete measures to generate jobs, minimum monthly wage of Rs 18,000 for workers, halting “forcible” land acquisition and stopping changes in labour laws. The organisers claimed nearly 1.5 lakh farmers and labourers from at least 23 states have participated in the protests, preparation for which had started several months back. The protest has thrown the traffic out of gear in several parts of Delhi.
Wearing red caps and waving red flags, the agitating farmers and workers raised slogans against the policies of the BJP-led central government and criticised what they said was the party’s “communal and divisive agenda”.
Sumesh Naranikkal, a construction worker in Kerala’s Kozhikode district, said the Modi government is “anti-poor” and ‘anti-farmer’. “The main question remains as to whether the elected government stands with the common people or with the corporates. Farmers are the lifeline of the country, but our government is working in favour of the corporates. It waives off the loans of big corporates, but leaves no stone unturned in coercing the farmers for the recovery of loans,” said Naranikkal.
The charter of demands also includes curbing price rise, stopping anti-labour amendments to law, comprehensive legislation to address concerns of agricultural workers, implementation of MNREGA in all rural areas and extending it to urban areas, ensuring food security, health and and education for all, universal social security, redistributive land reforms and stopping forcible land acquisition.
Addressing the rally, AIKS leader Vijoo Krishnan claimed 36,000 farmers have committed suicide over the last few years and said the BJP government is piling up miseries on the marginalised section. “For the last four years, this BJP government has fooled us. It has never done anything for the farmers. The government should give farmers remunerative price as per the recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee. The government policies are anti-people and we will not tolerate this any further,” AIKS general secretary Hannan Mollah said.
“We will continue our struggle till our demands are met,” he said, adding the struggle will continue till “we change the central government”. He said all other farmers’ organisations will hold a long march and come to Delhi on November 30. “Trade unions will also hold a two-day strike by the end of the year,” he said.
Tapan Sen, General Secretary of Centre of Indian Trade Unions, announced that workers will join the Kisan Long March in November, and urged the gathered farmers to “keep the fire burning”. “On one hand, the Modi government says it will double farmers’ income by 2022. On the other hand, it is seizing the lands of farmers. Workers and farmers coming together has enthused the other sections of the society. This struggle should not end here. It should proceed further,” Sen said.
