People's Democracy

MAHARASHTRA AGR. WORKERS CONF.

Aim To Spread In 20 Districts, 2 Lakh Membership

Prakash Chaudhari

AS a result of the anti-people neo-liberal policies of the central government there have been unprecedented attacks on the livelihood of the rural poor. Unemployment is increasing but there is no increase in wages despite rising prices. There is a drastic cut in the public expenditure on essential services like PDS, health, education, and social security schemes, and the poor people are forced to buy these services in the expensive private market. The atrocities on dalits, adivasis and women are increasing. Unless the landless labour and rural poor unite in struggle against these policies, there is no possibility to win the rights of land, employment and wages. The people must force the government to abandon the disastrous policies. They have also to fight for implementation of the NREG Act providing 100 days employment to one person in each rural family and for a central legislation for agricultural workers, which show an alternative direction for the protection of the rights of the common people.

This was the appeal made by A Vijayaraghavan, general secretary of the All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU) to the huge gathering of people that marked the beginning of the sixth state conference of Maharashtra Shetmazdoor Union. He was speaking at a massive rally of 30,000 tribals and non-tribals at Nandurbar in North Maharashtra. The rally paid respect to the memory of late Sirish Kumar and his three valiant friends, martyrs of the freedom movement, who fell to the bullets of the British in 1942. AIAWU joint secretary Suneet Chopra, CPI(M) state secretary Dr Ashok Dhawle, Maharashtra Kisan Sabha state secretary Lahanu Kom, Parashuram Chauhan, Udayan Sharma and Babasaheb Sarvade also spoke at the public meeting and greeted the people for the success of the September 29 strike and urged them to carry forward the struggle to victory. In his concluding remarks, Kumar Shiralkhar warned the government to work for pro-people programmes or face the unrest of the people.

Afterwards all the 164 delegates (132 male and 32 female) and 20 observers --- representing 60,580 members --- assembled at Comrade Vithalrao Naik Nagar where the union president Kumar Shiralkhar unfurled the red flag. Then the inaugural session started in Bhilubhau Thakre Hall, named after a late landless agricultural labourer activist in Nandurbar. Kisan Sabha leader Jaysing Moli welcomed the delegates and Udayan Sharma presented the condolence resolution. In his inaugural speech, A Vijayaraghavan stressed the importance of the conference in the agricultural workers movement, appealed to overcome the organisational weaknesses and build a powerful organisation of the rural poor.

After a presidium. minutes committee, resolution committee, credentials committee were elected, union general secretary presented the agenda of the conference which was passed. At the end, he presented the report on activities and organisation during the period of 2001 to 2005, followed by a discussion in which 30 delegates from 16 districts participated. They highlighted their experience of agitation in their respective districts and were critical of their failures and those of the leadership at different levels in organisational matters. At the same time, they also called for strengthening the state centre. There was a pressing demand for study classes for cadres. A special feature of this conference was that the delegates from the new districts also expressed their commitment to organise the agricultural workers in a big way.  

After the reply by the general secretary, the report was adopted by the conference unanimously. The old state council presented a panel for the constitution of a new state council. Five places were kept vacant whereas a list of 22 names was presented and it was unanimously accepted. Immediately, there was a meeting of the new state council, which elected 11 office bearers of the executive. The team will be led by Parashuram Chauhan as president and Prakash Chaudhari as secretary.

In the concluding speech, Suneet Chopra appealed to the delegates not only to oppose wrong policies being pursued by the state and central governments but to put forward our alternative policies to the neo-liberal agenda of the Manomohan Singh government. He exhorted them to strengthen the organisation by conducting various agitations to create a vigorous democratic movement and spread it to newer districts. He urged that a proper review of membership and work done be conducted by committees at different levels, which should work on the principle of collective decisions and individual responsibility to carry them out. He pointed out that in a backward and semi-feudal and casteist society, democratic ideals were not ingrained in the people’s psyche and had to be inculcated through organised educational activity. This could only be done if our centre functioned efficiently and as a team.

Ishwar Patil proposed the vote of thanks and the presidium congratulated the union activists in Nandurbar district for successfully holding the sixth state conference.