People's Democracy

UTTAR PRADESH

Agricultural Workers’ Union Holds Eleventh Conference

A P Mishra

THE eleventh conference of the UP State Agricultural Workers’ Union, affiliated to the All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU), was held at Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet Nagar, Mirzapur from June 10 to 12, at a place known as to be Rahi Lodge in Katra Bazi Rao. A total of 125 delegates and 25 observers, from 20 districts, took part in the conference.

The conference started after flag hoisting by the union’s state president Ambika Prasad Mishra. A Vijaya Raghvan, all-India general secretary, and Suneet Chopra, all-India joint secretary of the union, were also present at the conference.

A four member presidium, based on A P Mishra, Subhashini Ali, Vijay Shant and Ram Baran, conducted the proceedings. A credentials committee, a minutes committee and a steering committee were also formed. The chairman of the reception committee welcomed the delegates and observers after the condolence resolution moved by the president was passed.

Inaugurating the conference, Vijaya Raghvan explained the importance of the union in the present political, social and economic situation in the country and in Uttar Pradesh. He narrated in detail the horrible conditions of the agricultural workers, poor peasants and unorganised labourers living in rural India. The importance of struggle and a strong organisation in Uttar Pradesh was emphasised by him. He urged for enrolling at least three lakh members of the union before the twelfth state conference and also for expansion of the union in at least 40 district of the state.

The Uttar Pradesh state unit’s general secretary, B L Bharti, presented the report on behalf of the state executive committee, before the delegates for discussion, so that they could give their suggestions based on their struggles and experiences. A total of 29 delegates took part in the discussion, narrating the problems and difficulties in organising the agricultural workers in villages. They also reported the movements launched by their district units in the last three years after the tenth conference. After the discussion, B L Bharti replied to the questions raised and the problems put forward by the delegates. The general secretary’s report was then unanimously passed by the conference. It also adopted resolutions on several issues like the need of a central legislation for agricultural workers, against communalism and casteism, against the atrocities on dalits, women and minority communities in the state as well as in the country.

Addressing the delegates, AIAWU joint secretary Suneet Chopra detailed the political background prevailing in the country and the state, asking for strengthening the organisation by increasing the membership and forming its active village and local level committees and strengthening the state and district centres.

Uttar Pradesh Kisan Sabha general secretary Dinanath Singh, CITU state president Kamlapati Tripathi, state SFI general secretary Akhil Vikalp and AIDWA president Subhashini Ali also addressed the delegates, wishing the success of the conference. They assured every kind of help to the Agricultural Workers Union in its development and struggles in the state and districts. 

The conference elected a 55-member state council and 25-member state executive, leaving vacant six and two seats respectively for filling them up in future. The state unit of the union now has eight office bearers, with one post vacant. Ambika Prasad Mishra and B L Bharti were re-elected president and general secretary respectively.

A P Mishra proposed the vote of thanks to the leaders and workers of the union and of the Kisan Sabha, Janwadi Mahila Samiti and the CPI(M) in Mirzapur district who took the responsibility for holding this conference in their district and made it successful by working day and night. He also thanked the management of the Rahi Lodge for their help.