People's Democracy

Thousands of farm workers from all parts of the country held a massive rally here at Parliament Street on December 20 to demand early passage of the Comprehensive Central Legislation for Agricultural Labour.

In their traditional dresses, agricultural workers from Punjab, Bihar, UP, Rajasthan, Maharashtra etc presented the sight of a miniature India at Parliament Street.

Apart from the enactment of the central law, they were also demanding payment of minimum wages and equal wages for equal work, a properly functioning Public Distribution System with BPL cards for all agricultural labour, the speedy implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act all over the country, the passage of the Tribal (Forest Rights) Bill and immediate action against attacks on dalits, tribals and minorities.

The rally was addressed by Brinda Karat, MP and CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, A Vijayaraghavan, MP and AIAWU general secretary, Hannan Mollah, MP and AIAWU joint secretary, Suneet Chopra, AIAWU joint secretary, Sarangdhar Paswan, AIAWU joint secretary, and others.

The rally brought out the urgent necessity of passing a bill to protect agricultural labour as the changes in agricultural had brought them to near starvation conditions. Now they could not wait much longer. They were a growing force in India’s villages and were getting organised to ensure they would no longer be oppressed and exploited as they are today. They vowed to return from Delhi to change the face of their villages and ensure that citizens of India would no longer be ignored by governments with impunity. The rally asked that its demands be forwarded to the prime minister of India.

Memorandum To PM

Later a delegation of the office bearers of the All India Agricultural Workers’ Union (AIAWU) consisting of A Vijayaraghavan, Hannan Mollah, Suneet Chopra and Sarangadhar Paswan met the prime minister, Dr Manmohan Singh and presented a memorandum to him on the urgent needs of agricultural labour especially that of a Comprehensive Central Legislation for Agricultural Labour and the need to implement the NREG Act as well as Acts for the protection of dalits effectively.

The prime minister assured the delegation that a law on agricultural labour was under scrutiny. And he promised a meeting of the National Integration Council on the issue of untouchability and atrocities against dalits in the country.

The text of the memorandum is as follows:

Dear Dr Manmohan Singhji,

We are meeting you on behalf of the India’s largest organisation of agricultural labour, the All India Agricultural Workers’ Union. We are here to represent the case of over 20 crore Indian citizens who have been deprived of human rights and have no legislation to protect them despite India being independent for nearly sixty years.

The Comprehensive Central Legislation for Agricultural Labour has been on the books in draft form since 1980. Successive governments with the notable exception of the NDA, have promised to pass this legislation but have not done so. We feel that without the passage of a comprehensive central legislation for agricultural labour and the Tribal Rights Bill, we will not be able to protect those sections of our people most in need of protection, especially after the changes taking place in agricultural and forest management with the implementation of the policies by previous governments in keeping with the prescriptions of the WTO. We are approaching you to ensure this long delayed act of justice at the earliest.

The numbers of rural landless have grown from 7.4 crore to 10.7 crore between 1991 and 2001,making conditions far more difficult for them to get jobs. Therefore we feel the urgent need for government orders to be issued to implement the provisions of the NREGA and increased allocation for government employment schemes be made to meet this serous challenge.

The minimum wages applicable for all government schemes should be the latest announced minimum wages at the state level. All unemployed rural labour should be given priority under these schemes. The government of India should ensure that all land that is waste, surplus or benami, is distributed on a priority basis to the rural landless. The adivasis and dalits settled on forest lands should be given land rights and not be disturbed in their possession of it. Village common land should be allotted as house-sites to agricultural labour on a priority basis.

The Public Distribution System should function without prejudice to the poorest sections. For this we would propose that all agricultural labour be provided food at BPL rates. Further, new criteria based on calorie intake be evolved as public distribution norms and implemented by the government as soon as possible. The public distribution system for the population as a whole should be revamped and made affordable.

A special provision should be made to ensure that agricultural labour facing serious economic shortages and lacking resources to meet them should be provided subsistence aid to survive the season. This could be clubbed with aid routed specifically to agricultural labour, rural labour and the landless especially where the area is stricken by drought, flood or natural calamities.

We are deeply disturbed at the increasing attempts with commercialisation to dispossess dalits and drive them away from their home and settlements. Moreover despite legislation, dalits are still subjected to caste oppression and untouchability in most parts of the country. We would appeal to you to call a special meeting of chief ministers to discuss the issue of the implementation of the legislation to protect dalits and punish offenders as well as to ensure reservations in the public private sectors."