People's Democracy

PUNJAB KISAN SABHA CONFERENCE

Call To Carry Forward Karja Mukti Sangram

Charan Singh Virdi

ATTENDED by 450 delegates, the 34th state conference of Punjab Kisan Sabha, held at Comrade Ramkishan Bharolian Nagar in Anandpur Sahib from September 11-12, successfully concluded with two clarion calls. While the conference called for carrying the Karja Mukti Sangram (Struggle for Debt Waiver) forward, it also issued an appeal about making the 30th conference of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) a grand success. The AIKS will hold its 30th national conference at Jalandhar (Punjab) from March 6 to 9, 2003.

The conference began with flag hoisting by state Kisan Sabha president Rachhpal Singh in a well-decorated pandal. Rachhpal Singh, Gurdial Singh Dher, Darshan Singh Mattu, Bant Singh Namol, Inderjeet Singh Bhagrana and Balbir Singh Jadla presided over the delegates session. Mahboob Zahedi, MP and AIKS joint secretary, guided the deliberations.

In his spirited inaugural speech, Zahedi dwelt in detail on the disastrous impact of LPG polices and WTO provisions, particularly the removal of quantitative restrictions on the import of 1429 commodities by the NDA government and its disastrous impact on Indian agriculture and peasantry. He also highlighted the menace of communalism and pro-imperialist policy adopted by the Vajpayee government at the centre. He narrated the achievements of the Left Front government of West Bengal that is an advanced outpost of democracy, upholds the people’s interests, and has been in office continuously for the last 25 years. Asking the delegates to carry forward the glorious militant, secular and anti-imperialist tradition of the AIKS, Zahedi observed that Punjab comrades have to give special attention to building the organisation of the Kisan Sabha while adhering to a correct organisational line.

State Kisan Sabha general secretary Lehambar Singh Taggar presented the report on activities and organisations. Dwelling upon the deepening agrarian crisis in this otherwise leading agricultural state (Punjab), the report observed that the present agrarian crisis was a result of the WTO-dictated LPG policies that are being indiscriminately pursued by the NDA government at the centre and were being pursued by the Akali-BJP (Badal-led) government in the state. As is evident from the first budget of the Amrinder Singh government of the Congress, this government is also following the same disastrous policies and consequently there is no hope for a way out from it. The report also noted that the Johal committee, that is to study the crisis, is not addressing itself to the problems of common peasantry, which is in the quagmire of a crisis and groaning under a mountain of debt as well as the impact of a severe drought and rain-deficiency conditions.

Reviewing various interventions and struggles, the report concluded that the Kisan Sabha would have to continue its intervention with initiative and build in a more concerted way the independent and joint struggles on the issues facing the peasantry. The report self-critically nailed down the organisational weaknesses, and resolved to remove them earnestly.

As many as 45 delegates from various district delegations participated in the discussion on the report. The report was adopted unanimously after incorporating some of the suggestions and improvements.

Punjab CPI(M) secretary Balwant Singh, Punjab Agricultural Workers Union’s general secretary Raghunath Singh and state DYFI president Sukhwinder Singh Shekhon greeted the conference.

The conference unanimously adopted a number of resolutions. One of them demanded from the Punjab government immediate withdrawal of the hike in power tariff and continuation of free supply of electricity to the poor peasants and agricultural workers. Another resolution extended support to the flag march programme of the Punjab state CPI(M) that is to take place from September 15 to 30. The flag march is to press the demands of all sections of the people, and for a political solution to the Punjab problem so as to make the presently obtaining peace durable.

The conference unanimously elected a 57-member working committee, re-electing Rachhpal Singh as president and Lehambar Singh Taggar as general secretary.