RAJASTHAN

Government Prefers War Against Its People

Hannan Mollah

THE farmers of Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh and Bikaner in Rajasthan have been facing serious trouble for the last few years due to the scarcity of water, mainly  because of drought and non-availability of water from the Indira Gandhi Naher Project (IGNP). The continuous damage to crops has brought severe distress to them. The debt burden has added to their miseries. Agricultural workers also face unprecedented unemployment. In the context of such difficulties, the farmers, agricultural workers and local business people joined hands in October 2004 and demanded water from IGNP for cultivation and protection of their crops. However, the BJP government, instead of listening in their woes, opened fire on them and killed six people, and let loose massive oppression on the farmers. But the farmers resisted the government brutality and forced the government to reach an agreement with the Kisan Mazdoor Vyapari Sangharsh Samity to provide water.

But the problem of water in Rajasthan is a chronic one. Later on, the farmers of Tonk district also demanded water and a few months back started an agitation but the government again preferred to fire upon agitating farmers rather than have any dialogue with the people and killed four people of a village in the district.

Before the blood of the Tonk farmers dried up, the government of Vasundera Raje again resorted to attacks on people in Sriganganagar district. The October 2004 agreement had decided that 14,100 cusecs of water may at the best be available from Indira Gandhi Naher Project for distribution. It was agreed that 8,200 cusecs of water will be provided for the first phase area of IGNP and the rest 5, 900 cusecs would go for the second phase area. The proportion of 58:42 will be followed for distribution of water in the two phases, as per the available water.

But this agreement was not implemented. The farmers complained that water is being stolen and diverted more to phase one. Also that the chief engineer is hand in glove with some big landlords who are deceiving the common farmers. But the government, instead of looking into it, propagated that it is implementing the decision in full. When farmers did not get adequate water, they started an agitation and organised big meetings at Rawle, Gadsane, Anupgarh, Vijaynagar, Suratgarh and Rawalsar. The joint organisation of the people – the Kisan Mazdoor Vyapari Sangharsh Samity – led the peaceful movement demanding equitable distribution of water, organised protest rallies and submitted memoranda to the district collector, irrigation minister and chief minister. The irrigation minister Sanwar Mall Jat visited Ganganagar but held no discussion with the farmers’ representatives and declared to the media that there was no problem at all. The attitude of the Rajasthan government has always been feudal and fascistic. They never talk to the people. This is totally an undemocratic approach. Instead, they declared that this was a politically motivated action to create disturbances in the state.

FASCISTIC APPROACH

This undemocratic attitude led the farmers to intensify their protest. The Sangharsh Samity declared ‘Chakka Jam’ in the first phase area of IGNP on July 18, 2005. The CPI(M) and the Congress supported the movement, and called a strike on the day, which covered the second phase area also. The government instructed its ministers to crush the movement by any means and declared to teach the leaders of the movement a lesson. District collector, SP and ministers visited different villages and threatened the people that they would put down this politically motivated movement at any cost. They also said the CPI(M), especially Hetram Beniwal, was misleading the people and announced stern action against those who would join the movement.

In spite of all this threatening and coercion, on July 18, aggrieved farmers came out in thousands and stopped vehicles on roads. The administration was paralysed at Gadsane, Rawle and Anupgarh. While the people sat peacefully on streets, the government proclaimed Section 144 and used water cannons to disperse them. At 1 p m, when Hetram of the CPI(M) was addressing a public meeting at Dhen Mandi, the local magistrate and additional SP along with a huge police force reached there. They called Hetram for a talk, separated him from the mass and then he was brutally beaten by police and RAC jawans. He was dragged to the road, thrown into the back of a Gypsy van and the additional SP Laxman himself again beat him mercilessly, declaring that he had broken Hetram’s legs. He was taken to Nokha jail of Bikaner and was not even given a glass of water for 4 to 5 hours, though he was seriously injured. His clothes were full of blood and fingers broken. His condition deteriorated; at midnight he was taken to PBM hospital and treated there. Next day he was shifted to Ajmer jail. Along with him, some 500 people were arrested. Some were released but still many more are in jails in Bikaner, Churu and Ajmer. The administration clamped curfew at Anupgarh, Gadsane and Rawle after the incident.

The people thus got angry and there was a strike next day in Ganganagar and Hanumangarh districts when the people imposed janta curfew in those areas and no police could enter there. The administration conspired to lodge false cases and about a thousand people were implicated in such cases. The collector and SP are still threatening to implicate many more, if they do not desert the movement.

The SFI state vice president Kalu Thori, a resident of Raisinghnagar tehsil, was arrested on the night of July 21 on the charge of throwing a bomb. But he was nowhere in the area.  He was in his hometown, and yet he was implicated in a false case. All these attacks on people have created deep indignation among the people who are protesting everywhere. A meeting was held in each village against this repression. In Sarchi village, a huge protest meeting was held which was addressed by CPI(M) MLA Amraram and CPI(M) state secretary Basudev. They exhorted the people to strengthen the movement further. People are so angry and have so much hatred against administration that no policeman now dares to go to any village. The protest is continuing. A huge meeting – Maha Panchayat – was held on July 24 at Nahranwali village. More than ten thousand people gathered, all leaders of the movement and those of the Congress and CPI(M) attended it. I also attended and addressed the rally that demanded immediate release of Hetram and others before any discussion with the government can be held. The meeting also demanded that only the chief minister should talk and make a public declaration to implement the agreement; only then would the movement end.

The government accused the movement of being run by Naxalites. I refuted the charge and said the government wanted to mislead the people by such falsehoods. I urged the people to unitedly and peacefully continue their struggle till the government was forced to implement the agreement.

The movement is spreading to other districts now. The CPI(M) has decided to organise solidarity rallies in Sikar, Udaipur, Nagore and other districts. The SFI has given a call for student strike on July 28 in support of the kisan movement. The Sangarsh Samity has decided to hold a massive “Maha Padao” at Gadsane on August 1 in which at least 50,000 people are expected to participate.

The growing dissatisfaction of the people of Rajasthan against the anti-people actions of Vasundhara Raje government has isolated the latter further. Instead of talking with the people, this government has always resorted to repressive measures. This shows the anti-democratic attitude of the BJP government. If the government fails to respond to the demands of the people, the latter will come to Jaipur in thousands to force the government to listen to the voice of reason.