Massive Farmers Rally Warns Rajasthan Govt

AIKS Rajasthan state unit president Sheopat Singh addressing the rally in Gharsana on August 27

MORE than ten thousand people from all walks of life – peasants, agricultural workers, daily wage workers, traders, students, youths – converged at Gharsana, Rajasthan, from early morning of August 27 to vent their anger against the brutal repression unleashed by state police on the ongoing agitation of farmers. Lathicharges, indiscriminate arrests and increasing police atrocities have become the order of the day in this belt. As has been mentioned in these columns, the main demand of the ongoing agitation is for release of water to farmers. In fact the state government had come to an agreement in December 2004 with the representatives of Joint Action Committee for proper distribution of irrigation water to this region. The present agitation is on the demand to implement that agreement.

It may be recalled that last year too the agitation continued for more than two months, facing police firing, lathicharges, arrests etc. The militant resolve of farmers and the general support they evoked from other sections of people forced the Rajasthan state government to come to an agreement with the JAC.  It promised to provide required amount of irrigation water to Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and Bikaner regions. This promise is an old one, made in 1971, when the Indira Gandhi Canal Project began to flow. But mismanagement on the part of various state governments, particularly the BJP government has created havoc in this “green belt region” of Rajasthan, resulting in perishing of both rabi  and kharif  crops in recent years.

Cotton, mustered seeds and wheat have been the main crops produced here. But non-supply or negligible supply of canal water has forced the farmers, traders and workers to unite and fight for water.

The current phase of agitation being led by the Kisan-Vyapari-Mazdoor Sangharsh Samiti is once again meeting with the repression of the BJP state government. The police resorted to brutal lathicharges and arrests. One of the most respected and loved leader of the region, Hetram Benibal of CPI(M) was brutally beaten, dragged and thrown in jail. Curfew was clamped down in vast areas. But the government is learning the hard way that people will never be cowed down by such repression and that it will only intensify the agitation. The Sangarsh Samithi started protesting in various ways and among them was the massive protest rally in Gharsana. The rally was presided over by Bhuramal Swamy, convener Rajasthan unit of All India Agricultural Workers Union and was addressed by N K Shukla, joint secretary, All India Kisan Sabha; Bajuban Reang CPI(M) MP and joint secretary of AIKS, Sheopat Singh Makkassar, former MP and president of Rajasthan State Kisan Sabha and also convener of the Shangharsh Samiti, Hira Lal Indora, former minister (Congress), Sohan Lal Nayak, former MLA (Congress) and others. The rally marched through the various roads of Gharsana in an organised procession before culminating into a meeting. Those who spoke warned the BJP state government to see the writing on the wall and implement the promise it had made to the farmers.

It was also announced that a massive Mahaparav (sit in dharna) would be started at Jaipur on September 1, 2005 on the issues of power and irrigation being faced by farmers. Thousands of farmers and others are expected to converge in this dharna and stay put in the capital. It was also announced that another rally would be organised on August 29. (INN)