Report of Mazdoor Ekta Committee correspondent
A huge Farmer-Worker Mahapanchayat was organized under the leadership of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on March 14, 2024. It is estimated that more than 40 thousand farmers participated in it.
A large number of farmers from every corner of the country participated in this Mahapanchayat. Farmers reached the Mahapanchayat through trains and buses. Women participated in it in large numbers.
Apart from the central trade unions, many worker organizations, student organizations, women organizations and youth organizations supported this Mahapanchayat. Activists of Mazdoor Ekta Committee participated in this Mahapanchayat.
Leaders of participating farmer organizations addressed the Mahapanchayat.
Farmer leaders strongly condemned the brutal suppression of farmers’ struggle by the Central Government and Haryana Government and the murder of young farmer Shubhakaran Singh at Khanauri border on 21 February 2024.
All the speakers declared that this movement is against the capitalist plunder, communal division and attacks on the livelihood and fundamental rights of the workers and farmers in the country. No matter which government comes or goes, the attitude of every government has been anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti-national. Therefore, the movement will continue to protect the rights of workers and farmers.
The speakers criticized the government’s policy of handing over national wealth to big corporate houses by privatizing airlines, railways, ports, insurance, banks, energy and many public sector undertakings and services and resources like water, forests, land etc. Criticized.
Farmer leaders complained that the cost of production was skyrocketing due to the government withdrawing subsidies on essential agricultural inputs. Farmers are not getting profitable income. Crop insurance has been corporatized under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana — corporate insurance companies have looted Rs 57,000 crore from farmers from 2017 to date. Due to these reasons, farmers and farm laborers are trapped in the debt trap. On the other hand, huge loans worth Rs 14.68 lakh crore of big capitalist houses have been waived off during 2014-23.
In the Mahapanchayat, attention was drawn to the fact that the Central Government has not yet accepted the demands of the farmers. Minimum Support Price ‘C2 + 50 per cent’ has not been implemented for all crops. No government action has been taken on the demands of the farmers like loan waiver, ban on privatization of electricity, punishment to the killer of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri, etc.
It was resolved in the Mahapanchayat that the struggle for all these demands will continue. Apart from this, the movement will continue in protest against the murder of farmer Shubhakaran Singh, who was martyred in the movement, and against the state’s repression of the farmers’ struggle, in protest against the attacks on the livelihood and fundamental rights of workers and farmers, against capitalist plunder and the state’s efforts to divide on the basis of caste and religion.
It was also resolved to organize programmes across the country on the occasion of Martyrdom Day on 23 March.