Farmers across India are preparing to commemorate the first anniversary of the farmers struggle on November 26, 2021. A joint platform of labour organisations, Central Trade Unions (CTUs), voiced their solidarity with farmer mobilisations.
Trade union leaders and independent federations organised a national convention of workers on November 11 at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to highlight how the central government used the Covid-19 pandemic to push through labour codes and farm laws followed by reckless privatisation of profit-making public sector enterprises, causing runaway price rise and lack of employment opportunities for socially-disadvantaged classes and youth.
Trade Union leaders called for strengthening worker-peasant unity for the first anniversary of the mass movement. Accordingly, leaders called for a massive two-day All India Strike in February 2022 during the Budget Session of the Parliament.
“With elections round the corner in many BJP-ruled states, the central government is making all efforts to list their “achievements” but they cannot wish away the ground reality, that India slipped to 101st position in the Global Hunger Index that listed 106 countries with hunger as one of the major social ills,” said CTUs in a press release.
They reiterated demands:
– scrapping the Labour Codes, the three farm laws and Electricity (Amendment) Bill
– ending privatisation of PSUs and dismissal of the National Monetisation Pipeline
– food and income support of Rs. 7,500 per month to non-income tax paying households
– increased allocation for MNREGA and extension of employment guarantee scheme to urban areas
– social security for informal sector workers
– minimum wage and social security for Anganwadi, ASHA, Mid-day-meal and other scheme workers
– protection and insurance facilities for frontline health workers toiling during the pandemic
– reduced central excise duty on petroleum products
– concrete remedial measures to arrest price rise
– regularisation of contract workers
– equal pay for equal work
– scrap NPS and restore old pension scheme etc.
Farmer leaders from the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) also took part in the event.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh’s peasantry called for a Mahapanchayat in Lucknow on November 22. People will also be mobilised to head towards New Delhi borders on Friday. A huge farmers’ gathering called “Lakhimpur Nyay Mahapanchayat” is being planned by SKM leaders on November 14 in Puranpur of Pilibhit district. Thousands of farmers are expected to participate in this Mahapanchayat.
Similarly, Bihar and UP farmers had planned a padayatra (march) from Khajuria, Bihar to Nighasan, UP between November 11 and 13 to demand the dismissal of Union Minister Ajay Mishra from his position in the Union Cabinet. However, the same was stopped by the administration, claimed farmers. The SKM condemned the UP government for putting farmer leaders under house arrest in the Pallia region. Farmers said the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police instructed the leaders against taking out the yatra.
Related:
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Maharashtra farmers announce Mahapanchayat on Nov 28
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