On 22nd October farmers under the banner of Samuyukta Kisan Morcha as a part of the 11 day dharna against land takeover in Azamgarh for airport construction, held a peoples’ parliament in Hariram in Khiriya bag. Over a thousand persons participated.
Organisations participating were Samyukta Kisan Morcha,Kisan Sangrami Parishad, ,Kisan Sangram Samiti,Jai Kisan Andolan,and Bhumia Bachao.
Prominent speakers were Satyadev Pal,Rahul Kumar,Sunil ,Govind, Pravesh Nishad,,Virend ra Yadav,,Balwant Yadav ,Rajkumar Yadav,,Suraj Pal,Nandlal,Omprakash Bharti, Mahendra Rai etc.
The event highlighted the strategy of the ruling BJP party in patronising every endeavour of the corporates to grab land and endorsing the International policy of United States of America in agricultural production. They explained how the American policy would cause grave harm to Indian agriculture..It summarised how the only goal o the farmers was to protect their villages and land and how the rulers banged every nail in the wall to sabotage it. In every sphere, be it railways, airports, factories or hospitals, globalisation has penetrated at the very core, literally placing public interest in the dust. Issues like retrenchment of workers, closure of factories, unemployment, and price rise were touched upon, illustrating how all reached heights unscaled. Speakers reflected on how the 3 bills earlier passed stripped the farming community of any bargaining power and the foundation of any democratic aspirations. They explained how all over India such a strategy was being extended, in robbing farmers of land rights to construct a pro-corporate model. It was asserted how the farmers had no expectations of the ruling party bringing the criminals involved in running over the framers to the book, but would still intensify the struggle at any cost. Leaders condemned how culprit Ajay Mishra Treni,was still not brought to the book. The meeting highlighted how shivers were sent down the spine of the ruling party, for shielding the culprits of Lakhimpur Kheri, making some leaders plead for mercy. The leaders expressed confidence that the people’s strength would overcome the might of the opressors.It was planned to submit a memorandum with a charter of demands, expressing that farmers would not part with even an inch of their land.
Harsh Thakor is a freelance journalist who covers mass movements around India
Courtesy: https://countercurrents.org