People's Democracy
(Weekly Organ of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) No. 06
February 11, 2001
(Weekly Organ of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) |
Vol. XXV No. 06 February 11, 2001 |
Kisan Agitation Postponed
THE joint action committee of seven organisations of peasants and agricultural workers --- namely, the All India Kisan Sabha (4, Ashoka Road), All India Kisan Sabha (Ajoy Bhawan), All India Agricultural Workers Union, Bharatiya Khet Mazdoor Union, Agragami Kisan Sabha, Krishi Shramik Union and Samyukta Kisan Sabha --- have expressed their deep sorrow at the suffering of their fellow peasants, agricultural labourers and the people of Gujarat in the time of an unprecedented calamity.
In view of this, these organisations have decided to postpone their programme of picketing of government offices, roadblocks and rail roko, that was scheduled to take place from February 5 to 7.
The seven organisations have appealed to all their state committees and members to mobilise all possible help for the suffering people of Gujarat. They expressed hope that the government of India too will reciprocate by changing its agrarian policy and put a stop to the opening up of our agrarian market for the large scale dumping by multinationals. They said the government must stop treating our masses as guinea pigs for the multinational companies’ agro-business experiments with seeds and chemicals, and will immediately ensure that land reforms are not reversed and that a comprehensive central legislation for agricultural labour is passed.
CITU POSTPONES
SOLIDARITY ACTIONS
The tenth national conference of the CITU, held at Hyderabad, had decided that, as a mark of solidarity, the working class of India would join the peasantry in their dharna and picketing programme to be organised from February 5 to 7 in all state capitals and district headquarters. The programme was to be observed in protest against the government policy of import of agricultural products into the country --- a policy that is destroying the country’s rural and agrarian economy.
However, because of the devastating earthquake in Gujarat, the kisan and agricultural workers’ organisations have decided to defer the programme to a later date. Consequently, the CITU has also called upon the working class to cancel their solidarity actions for the present and join the peasantry in their struggle when the programme is taken up later on.
The CITU has thanked all the constituent unions for the elaborate preparations already made the success of the above-said dharna programme. (INN)
