At the end of three intense days, resolutions were passed and plans firmly put into place to ensure that the letter promise made to thousands of protesters from all over Karnataka by chief minister Siddaramiah are actually realised. The resolutions passed at this mammoth gathering of about 15,000 clearly warned that “if promises are not met” struggle will intensify. The message clearly was, “Do not forget those who have voted for you in May 2023.”
On the second day of the protest, state revenue minister Krishna Bhairey Gowda, visited the Maha Dharani on behalf of the state government, and assured the protesters, “We will arrange a detailed meeting soon after the assembly session to discuss the 18 demands put forward by the Samyukta Horata Karnataka (United Struggle Karnataka.) I will take the responsibility of arranging this,” he promised. Thereafter, political secretary of the Chief Minister, Nazir Ahmed, visited the Maha Dharna on November 28 on behalf of the Chief Minister, and delivered a letter from the chief minister’s office.
In the letter sent by the Chief Minister, it has been mentioned that a meeting has been scheduled at the Chief Minister’s home office, Krishna, on December 19 to thoroughly discuss the demands of the struggle. This letter was welcomed in the resolution passed at the protest. However, concerns that further postponement of such meetings would not be acceptable, were also expressed in the resolution.
The strongly worded resolution specifically addressed the powers that be and stated that while the protesters and people’s movements “have welcomed the implementation of Anna Bhagya, Vidyut Bhagya and Stri Bhagya as promised by the Congress government as soon as it came to power,” clearly this is not what the people had demanded.
“What people are asking for is not free systems, but an increase in their incomes, reduction in expenditures, security of life, change in governance and freedom to protest. But the state government is not paying any attention to bring improvement in this regard, instead it is distancing itself from the people and joining the ivory tower, floating in its own stupor, suppressing the people’s right to protest. This Maha Dharani (grand protest) strongly condemns this behaviour of the state government.”
“Six months after the state government came to power [as promised in its manifesto and before all of us] the government has not YET withdrawn the 4 major anti-people laws brought in by previous BJP government. The Land Reforms Amendment Act, the APMC Act, the Cattle Act, the Acts which raised the working hours of workers from 8 am to 12 pm are still in force.” These are among the strongly worded demands reiterated in the resolution passed on November 28, the last day of the three day protest.
Farmers, workers and people’s organisations had organised this show of strength in the form of a Maha Dharani held in Bengaluru on 26, 27, and 28 of November at Freedom Park. Samyuktha Horata was/is a joint call by Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the Joint Committee of Trade Unions (JCTU) and Janashakthi to forge together a joint front of farmers, workers, Dalits, youth and women’s organisations, expanding the protest to other segments of the population – a historical moment of unity. Badagalapura Nagendra (SKM), H.R. Basavarajappa, Bayyareddy (Samyuktha Horata), Varalakshmi (JCTU) and Noor Sridhar (Janashakthi) lead this demonstration of deep dissatisfaction. Bayyareddi, Convenor of Samyuktha Horta stated, “We don’t have any expectations from Central government, they sold the toiling people’s interest to the Corporates….only way left is to remove them from the power…we are going to take a call on it in this struggle.”
The Congress Party after coming to power in the state in May this year has still to deliver on its campaign promises. The dissatisfaction with the Siddaramaiah and DK Shivkumar Government comes after several failed attempts to meet with and address the state government’s inaction. Kumar Samathala of Land & Housing Deprived People’s Struggle Committee said,” Governments are changing, but our life is not. Even after Congress came to power there has been no change in attitude. They have not yet called for a proper sitting to discuss the issue.”
The resolution passed on November 28, 2023 is unequivocal. “We, the farmers, workers, Dalits, minorities, backward people, common people of this state, who were angry with the corruption, mismanagement and hate politics of the BJP government, taught them a lesson and removed them from power. Our efforts are instrumental in bringing the Congress party to power. But it is regrettable and tragic that after coming to power, the Congress party is ignoring the cries of the people who brought it to power.”
Apart from the repealment of anti-people laws, the resolution states that “Bagar Hukum farmers, victims of land acquisition, homeless people, those who grow various crops and fail to sell them for fair price, unorganized and contract workers working under various departments, Dalit – backward – minority communities, women – sexual minorities are knocking at your door again and again but you do not seem to respond. You are not making any effort to thoroughly discuss the issues and find solutions. This Maha Dharna strongly condemns the indifferent attitude of the state government towards the rights of the people.”
Finally, “If a special high level meeting is held and the government does not come up with remedial measures as expected, this Maha Dharani will decide to launch an indefinite struggle across the state.”
Related:
Mahapadav/Samyuktha Horata: A Kisan-Mazdoor Historical Unity