Kerala Set For Peasant Struggle

Aboo Backer

A joint forum of eight peasant organisations of Kerala has decided to launch a long drawn out agitation until the grievances of the peasants in Kerala are redressed. This decision comes in the backdrop of the UDF government’s criminal apathy to the continuing spree of peasant suicides in Kerala. The Antony government was a silent onlooker to this tragedy without taking any measures to ameliorate the peasant problem.

Following are the demands on the basis of which the struggle will be conducted:

1. Write off all agricultural debts.

2. Stop immediately all attachment and confiscation measures.

3. Provide financial aid to the families of the peasants who committed suicide.

4. Enact legislation to protect peasants from usurious money-lending mafia.

5. Assure public distribution of food grain and other necessities to peasants.

6. Introduce an integrated insurance programme for the peasants.

7. Implement the peasant welfare programme announced by the earlier LDF government.

8. Complete the “patta” distribution initiated by the LDF government

9. Introduce a scheme of providing employment to one lakh peasants.

Even this nine-point charter of demands would not suffice to fully protect the peasants who are gripped by the tentacles of extreme poverty and debt. But at least achieving these nine demands would alleviate the suffering of the peasantry a bit.  The agitation is also to compel the government to act instead of sitting silent even while scores of peasants are committing suicide for faults not of their own, but of the policies of the government. The LPG measures have virtually ruined the agriculture of the state. The tea and coffee estates are virtually closed down. Rubber plantations are on the threshold of extermination. While the peasants work hard, the benefits go to the multinationals and big business houses that rob them off with all help from the UDF government.

Added to this has been the untimely weather conditions which has created a situation of drought in Kerala. Antony government proved its inefficiency yet again when it failed to ensure a visit of a delegation from the centre in time to the state to assess the gravity of drought situation. Accordingly, the delegation to assess the drought impact came to Kerala during the monsoon and as such the delegation is sure to have judged that there is no impact of drought on agriculture. The nature of Kerala is such that one or two rains would bring the whole scene full of greenery and this would have certainly deceived the eyes and minds of the members of the delegation.

ACTION PLAN

In this prevailing situation, the peasant organisations have decided to conduct a phased struggle.  And accordingly they went on a big march to the secretariat on  August 4 and will also march to the collectorates on August 13.  On August 17, the ‘State Peasants Day’, peasant leaders plan to go on an indefinite hunger strike while from August 20, scores of peasants will picket the government offices in the state.

The leaders of the joint forum of peasant organisations stated that this ongoing struggle is intended to make the government and ministers open their eyes to the plight of the peasants. Despite the growing number of peasant suicides in the state, the government is not ready for a serious discussion on the issue. The government is ignoring all appeals and memoranda presented by the peasants. It is not even ready to write off the debts or even postpone attachment steps. The leaders of the joint forum have appealed to all sections in the state to help the struggle by all means.  Agriculture is a crucial sector of our society. When it is on the verge of destruction, some ministers are in a hurry to go on foreign visits and host feasts and other carnivals Who says modern Neros are not fiddling as Kerala suffers?