2500 representatives Participate at Singhu Borders as Farmers Movement completes nine months

Delegates from 22 states representing more than 300 farmer & agricultural workers' unions & associations, 18 all India trade unions, 9 women's organisations and 17 student & youth organisations participated in the All India Convention organised by SKM.

farmers

As the farmers movement completes nine months at Delhi borders, Delegates from 22 states representing more than 300 farmer & agricultural workers’ unions & associations, 18 all India trade unions, 9 women’s organisations and 17 student & youth organisations participated in the All India Convention organised by Samyukt Kisan Morcha.

This Convention focused on expansion as well as intensification of the Kisan Andolan.

The Convention was inaugurated by farmer leader Rakesh Tikait who welcomed all delegates and reaffirmed the resolve of farmers to continue the peaceful protest till all demands are met. This was followed by a condolence resolution paying homage to the martyrs of the farmers’ movement. Dr. Ashish Mittal, Convenor of the Organising Committee of the Convention placed the draft resolutions before the delegates which called upon the people to intensify and expand the ongoing struggle across the country so that Modi Govt be forced to repeal the 3 anti-farm laws and give a legal guarantee of MSP.

The convention had 3 sessions – first directly relating to 3 black laws, second dedicated to industrial workers and the third pertained to agricultural workers, rural poor and tribal issues. Today, in the second session of the conference, the leaders of many trade unions of the country addressed the Convention regarding the undemocratic and anti-people thrusting of 4 labor codes that were imposed on the workers and related problems. In all the 3 sessions the speakers emphatically gave their suggestions for widening and expanding the movement involving farmers, workers, agricultural workers, adivasis and common people, thus widening the scope of kisan andolan so that it becomes a pan-India movement. 15 speakers each in every session of the Convention today, deliberated and contributed, enriching the resolution placed in the Convention.

Speakers emphasised about the deep transformations that the farmers’ movement has brought about amongst farming communities, and the many positive outcomes already being experienced due to the prolonged protest.

Sugarcane hike announced by Union Government is insulting to farmers

The Union Government announced what it termed as “highest ever” Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) for sugarcane yesterday. The price approved for sugar season 2021-22, compulsorily payable by sugar mills, is Rs. 290 per quintal for a recovery rate of 10%. It is noteworthy that the actual hike is a meagre five rupees per quintal, and unless any government actually reduces the price from one season to the other, it can only be “higest ever”! “This hike is clearly an insult to sugarcane farmers of the country”, said SKM. On the one hand, the CACP and Union Government advise that SAPs (state advised price) of sugarcane should not be hiked in a differential manner across states, and on the other hand, the FRP is not fixed in a fair manner by Modi Government. After the recent historic struggle of farmers of Punjab who secured a fifty rupees hike per quintal of sugarcane, it is clear once again that cost of production figures are being suppressed, and farmers’ hard toil is being exploited. Government of India’s hype in its press release about record high procurement of sugarcane (next to only paddy procurement) is also ironic in that the purchase is done by sugar mills mandatorily at the announced price. Protesting farmers have been asking for such a remunerative price at C2+50% to be legally guaranteed for all agricultural produce, and this is one of the key demands of the current farmers’ movement.

Uttar Pradesh’s BJP government’s nervousness is visible, as the farmers’ movement gains larger momentum in the state, and as elections approach closer. The meagre sugarcane SAP hike as well as the Chief Minister’s promise of completing pending payments from 2010 before the crushing season, are manifestations of this nervousness. The carefully orchestrated and curated drama that was created for its PR effect by the UP CM yesterday chose to malign the ongoing farmers’ movement. However, Mission UP plans of SKM will soon be dispelling these efforts of the BJP government, said SKM.

Protests against BJP leaders and of leaders of allied parties continue in different states. In Jalandhar, there was a huge stand-off when farmers took up a black flag protest against BJP state president Ashwini Sharma yesterday. In Haryana, JJP had to change its meeting venue fearing farmers’ protest in Jind.

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March 2024
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