People's Democracy

AIKS & AIAWU Condemn Firing On Farmers

The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) and All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU) have jointly issued the following statement on October 28.

THE All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) and All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU) condemn the brutal firing resorted to on farmers conducting a peaceful agitation in the border areas of Ganganagar district on October 27. The agitation has been conducted since September 27 under a struggle committee of which the AIKS and AIAWU are a part.

The struggle is centered in Gharsana, Rawla, Anupgarh, Khajuwala and other villages in the border areas of Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and Bikaner. The farmers are suffering from famine conditions as water from the Indira Gandhi canal is being denied to them. The kharif crops have been largely destroyed and fear of losing the rabi crop as well brought them out on to the streets.

True to its anti-farmer policies, the BJP government of Rajasthan has fired on the farmers at Rawla, killing four of them –  Kalu Ram, Mangelal, Raj Kumar and Jetram Meghwal – and injuring many others. A severe curfew has been clamped down in the area. We demand the immediate restoration of peace, the lifting of the curfew, and the immediate provision of water supply from the Indira Gandhi canal.

We also demand that the relief of Rs 5 lakh to the families of each of those killed and Rs 1 lakh to each of those wounded, sanctioned by the government of Rajasthan, be given immediately. All false cases against the agitators must be withdrawn, and guilty officers be suspended pending the judicial enquiry so that they do no influence it.

We further demand that the full supply of water of the Indira Gandhi canal be released at once and compensation be given to all farmers and agricultural labourers who have suffered the destruction their crops and lack of work because of no water from the canal.

(INN)