People's Democracy

THE All India Kisan Sabha has condemned the assurance given by the prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee about reducing the duty on edible oils to appease ASEAN leaders at the cost of millions of Indian peasants.

The Indian peasants are already under great pressure because of the anti- national policies of the central government dictated by the WTO. Now, with the proposed reduction of the duty on palm oil, the Indian industry will collapse. The prices of vegetable oils have declined below the production costs in India and the poor peasant is unable to meet these costs. The peasant is under extreme pressure.

The All India Kisan Sabha has demanded complete ban on the import of vegetable oils so that the indigenous production becomes profitable. (INN)