On Wednesday, April 5th, a multitude of farmers and workers assembled at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi to demonstrate against the “anti-worker” and “anti-farmer” policies enforced by the Central government led by BJP.
The protest march was organized by three unions – All India Agriculture Workers Union (AIAWU), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), and the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), affiliated to the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
The rally aimed to highlight the various challenges faced by farmers and laborers, such as low wages, job insecurity, farm crisis and lack of support for the elderly.
Protesters had come from all over the country, with many traveling long distances to participate in the rally, in a powerful display of solidarity and collective action.
Farmers from various states including Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh urged for measures to alleviate inflation, secure legal assurance of the Minimum Support Price (MSP), grant pensions to all farmers above the age of 60, retract the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020, among other demands.
Workers rallied for a monthly minimum wage of Rs 26,000 applicable to all workers, the alleviation of debts, the retraction of the “four anti-labor code laws,” and various other demands.
Academics, actors, writers, journalists, and defense veterans supported and joined the protest.
Many of the participants in the rally expressed their disappointment with the current political climate, and the lack of progress on issues that were important to them.
All India Anganwadi Workers and Helpers also joined the protest march and demanded “rights of Anganwadi employees.”
The rally was addressed by leaders of the three unions and the CPI(M)
