RAJASTHAN

 People Pine For Drought Relief, Get Bullets

Hannan Mollah

DURING our 450 km run in Sriganganagar district of Rajasthan, we could see the worst impact of drought and non-availability of water from the Indira Gandhi canal project in command area. The government had promised in 1971 to supply 5.23 cusecs of water for agricultural operations for two crops. After continuous drought, however, the peasants are in great distress. This year, there was no water in the kharif season and therefore no kharif crop. They expected water for the rabi crops but there has been no sign of it.

The peasants sat in dharna on September 27, before the SDM office in Ghadsana demanding water, drought relief and food for work etc. But the BJP government chose to keep silent. Despite the peaceful meetings, deputations and dharnas, no action was taken for one month. And suddenly there was brutal lathicharge on a peaceful dharna at Ghadsana on October 26, which has caused serious frustration and anger among the peasants.

During the rallies and meetings organised on September 27. a huge posse of the Rajasthan Armed Core (RAC) encircled the towns of Ghadsana and Rawla and opened fire, killing 4 persons and injuring hundreds. A large number of people were arrested, beaten brutally and put them behind bar; about 80 are still in Bikaner jail.

Peasants having all shades of opinion formed Kisan-Mazdoor-Vyapari Sangharsh Samity and conducted this movement. Thousands of peasants and workers came on to the streets with their genuine demands. After the killing, curfew was clamped in those areas for a whole week. The RAC attacked houses, beat men, women and children, looted many shops and unleashed a reign of terror. The CPI(M) state secretary Professor Basudev and MLA Amra Ram reached the spot immediately and stood by the people.

I went to Anupagarh, Gadhsana and Rawla along with Rajasthan Kisan Sabha president Sheopat Singh and Rajasthan Khet Mazdoor Union president Bhuramal Swamy, and visited the entire affected area for two days. We were stunned to hear that the police had opened fire to kill people. The deceased had received bullets in their hearts and backs, all above their waists. There was no magistrate to order and the police killed the people on their own. During the curfew, massive and brutal attacks by the police were reported.

We also visited the houses of the martyrs. The Paschim Banga Pradeshik Krisak Sabha (AIKS) has, on behalf of the peasants and agricultural workers of West Bengal, given Rs 50,000 as a mark of solidarity with the kisan movement in Rajasthan. We distributed Rs 12,500 to the family of each martyr. Hethram, an agricultural worker, was feeding the stray cattle on a road when the police killed him. Mangilal and Kala Singh, young agricultural labourers, were in a demonstration when the police firing killed them on the spot.  Raju Sindhi, a young physically handicapped but postgraduate boy, was going to market when he got shot in his back. His father told us that the police had refused to entertain an FIR about his killing.

We attended a massive condolence meeting at Anupgarh. The main condolence meeting was held at Gadhsana Mandi. Here, the police prohibited entry of all government and private buses and trucks in the town to prevent the peasants from coming to the condolence meeting. Hundreds of policemen encircled the town as if they had declared a war against the peasantry. Yet, thousands of peasants came to the meeting on tractors and on foot. This showed their anger and determination to fight back.

These condolence meetings declared that if the government failed to talk with the Sangarsh Samity and concede its demands, a protracted and militant movement will start in the whole of Ganaganagar and Hanumangarh districts and there would be chakka jam everywhere. These demands are: (a) release of all the 80 detained peasants unconditionally, (b) withdrawal of all false cases against them, (c) payment of compensation to the families of all the deceased and all the injured peasants, (d) institution of cases against and punishment to all the guilty police officials under IPC 302 for killing the people, (e) start of drought relief works for agricultural workers and supply of water as per norms to the entire command area. 

The peasants and the Sangarsh Samity are determined to fight till the demands are met. The All India Agricultural Workers Union and All India Kisan Sabha have appealed to the peasants and agricultural workers of the country to organise protest rallies and dharnas all over in protest against the barbaric attacks on the and killing of agricultural workers and peasants in Rajasthan by the BJP government led by the blood thirsty queen of the desert.