People's Democracy

Karnataka

Peasants Hold Big Rally On Farmers Day

Vishwa Kundapura

THE Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha (KPRS), an affiliate of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), observed Farmers Day on September 2, by organising a big procession and rally of peasants and farmers at the state capital’s Bangalore. The rally demanded resolution of several burning problems facing the state’s agriculturists and also demanded drought relief measures on a war footing.

The rally was held under the Save Agriculture, Save The Country slogan.

Though the KPRS initiated the mobilisation and organised the programme, several other organisations also joined to present their case vociferously and make the deaf in both the state and union governments listen to their voice.

Milk producers as well as the struggle committee of employees in their cooperative societies, irrigation pump-set electricity consumers’ struggle committee, sericulturists’ struggle committees and others associated with this state level demonstration of the KPRS-led peasants and farmers.

Thousands of kisans, including many women, descended on Bangalore from several parts of the state to participate in the programme. Even though 22 districts out of 26 are at present reeling under severe drought conditions, thousands of people from far-flung rural areas came to the capital. Their purpose was to demonstrate to the powers-that-are the poor condition of the annadata (food-giver) and to express their anguish over the IMF-World Bank-WTO-dictated disastrous policies of the Congress and NDA governments.

Carrying banners and red flags in their hands, thousands of peasants took out a procession from Chikkalalbagh in the heart of the city and converged into a big rally near Vidhana Soudha.

KPRS president Maruti Manpade presided over the rally. In the beginning, the rally mourned the death of Ramappa, a 53 years old farmer of Hoskote taluk in Bangalore district, who committed suicide on August 27. Ramappa is the first victim of the current drought in the state, and the fact that the place of the shocking incident is only 40 km away from the state’s capital shows the seriousness of the natural calamity which is haunting Karnataka.

All India Agricultural Workers Union’s state president G N Nagaraj, former CPI(M) MLA and KPRS vice president G V Shriram Reddy, state CITU general secretary V J K Nair, kisan leader and former union minister Baba Gowda Patil and N Venkatachaliah were among those to address the rally.

Most of the speakers drew attention to the perilous economic policies of the Congress-run state government as well as the BJP-led NDA government at the centre, which are in tune with the IMF-WB-WTO directives. Liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation (LPG) are causing the people’s impoverishment, the speakers lamented. While about 5.5 million tonnes of foodgrains are stored in the FCI godowns, people are dying of starvation. The speakers said the wrong policies of the ruling parties are responsible for this pathetic and inhuman condition of the people.

The rally urged the people in general and peasants in particular not to resort to suicides. Death is no solution to their problems. Struggle is the only right path to mitigate their our problems and make their lives better, it stressed.

KPRS general secretary G C Bayya Reddy moved a resolution, warning the Congress government of Karnataka that the KPRS would launch an agitation programme on October 9 if the main demands of different sections of the peasantry were not fulfilled immediately. The rally called for gherao of all taluk offices and the offices of KPTCL (Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited) all over the state on October 9. This spontaneous call was welcomed by the gathering with applause and cheer.

While the rally was in progress, minister A Krishnappa, representing the state government, came to the venue and received the memorandum. The way he responded to the demands clearly showed the arrogance of the S M Krishna government towards the problems of the toiling rural mass. It was clear that agitation is the only way left for this mass to get their problems mitigated.

Leaders of several other organisations, such as Bhimsi Kaladgi, K M Venkatesh, Channappa Anegundi and others, were present on the dais. U Basavaraj welcomed the rallyists while V P Kulkarni proposed the vote of thanks.