People's Democracy

‘Stop Repression On Agitating Farmers’

A DELEGATION consisting of Prashant Chatterjee (MP), Tapan Sen (MP and CITU secretary), Suneet Chopra (joint secretary, All India Agricultural Workers Union) and N K Shukla (joint secretary, All India Kisan Sabha) visited on October 19 the places in Shri Ganganagar, Bikaner and Hanumangarh districts where the police had attacked the agitating farmers, workers and traders. The delegation was accompanied by Amra Ram (MLA and president, Rajasthan unit of AIKS) and Vasudev Sharma (secretary, Rajasthan state). 

The peasants have been demanding supply of water for irrigation, according to the previous agreement and release of the leaders and cadres of the Kisan, Mazdoor and Vyapari Sangharsh Samiti (joint action committee of farmers, workers and traders).

It may be recalled that in 2004 there was an agitation on the same issue of supply of irrigation water from the Indira Gandhi Canal System, and six farmers were killed and hundreds arrested at that time. Ultimately an agreement was signed in Ajmer Jail on December 11, 2004, between the leaders of the Sangharsh Samiti led by Hetram Beniwal and representatives of the government. According to this agreement, 58 percent of the water of the canal had to be provided to the areas covering the first phase of the system and the rest was to be given to the second and third phase regions.

But soon the government began to drag its feet and an agitation had to be launched again in 2005 for implementation of the agreement. Ultimately it was settled on September 8, 2005, following a Maha Padav in Jaipur.

This year again, authorities of the Rajasthan government reduced the supply of water, when it was seriously needed for sowing the rabi crops and irrigating the cotton crop. 

On September 30, 2006, there was a big Kisan Panchayat where the peasants again raised their demands. Instead of implementing the agreement, the BJP state government got arrested Hetram Beniwal, Sadi Ram Punia and some others, and unleashed repression on the agitators. 

On October 10, there were successful road blocks in the districts of Shri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and Bikaner. 

The administration imposed curfew and attacked the people at many places around Gharsana. Despite all this repression, however, a Padav started at Gharsana, Ravla and Ravatsar with more than 10,000 people participating. The people are worried since the cotton crops are getting damaged and the rabi sowing was being delayed due to lack of water. 

One should note that underground water is not fit either for irrigation or for drinking in this desert region. So canal water has naturally become a life and death question for the people of this region. 

However, instead of giving adequate water (58 percent according to the agreement) to this region, the state government of Rajasthan is diverting water to the areas where big politicians, bureaucrats and big businessmen have their huge farms. 

Seeing no positive move from the government, the joint action committee decided to march to the SDM office on October 16. The authorities, instead of taking steps to concede the demands, ordered the police to attack the agitators mercilessly. Even the aged and women were not spared. AIDWA state secretary Durga Swami was specially targeted and mercilessly beaten along with others. The dais of the Padav was damaged and the banners torn. Curfew was imposed and the army was called in. A terror like situation was created and it is still continuing. 

The delegation visited Gharsana village 365 Head and Ravatsar. It met the injured and affected, and also got from the villagers some bullets which were fired by the police.

The Kisan Sabha has demanded immediate lifting of curfew, withdrawal of the army, restoration of normal democratic rights, implementation of the agreement on water, release of arrested leaders and cadres, compensation to the injured and action against the guilty police and civil officials. 

It is a very serious matter that the central government allowed the state government to use the army to suppress a genuine democratic movement and that too in the border districts. Besides, the BSNL communication network was also jammed for days together. Prasant Chatterjee, MP, has written a letter to the prime minister on both these counts.

The delegation appealed to all the democratic organisations and individuals to come forward and oppose these undemocratic acts of the BJP led Rajasthan state government. It also appealed the AIKS and AIAWU state units to organise solidarity actions in support of the fighting peasantry of Rajasthan.

The following were injured in the police action on October 16:

1. Durga Swami (50), state secretary, Rajasthan AIDWA. Three stitches in the head, swollen arms and legs, brutal beating, dragged by the hair off the stage and beaten by male RAC and STF personnel. Aaved by woman police officer, Mrs Kamra.

2. Buta Singh, 60, village 6 DD, Gharsana. Wounded on hand.

3. Brij Lala, 27, 15 LM. Bullet wound on leg.

4. Mani Ram, 60, 5 KST, Rawla. Hand and leg injuries.

5. Dharam Chand, 75, village Sataruya. Head and leg injuries.

6. Vazir Singh, 50, village 29 MV. A bystander who had come for a BPL card. Both hands fractured. Bullet would on leg.

7. Laxman Singh, 70. Stitches on both legs. Broken right hand.

8. Chandu Ram, 48, village 10 LM, Anoopgarh. Fracture on leg and skull. Died of injuries on October 24.

9. Om Prkash, 40, 12 KD 365. Fracture on hand and foot and hit on the head.

These beaten people were forcibly discharged from hospital without any compensation.

On October 20 also, the police also entered the village 17 KD, attacked the villagers with lathis and resorted to firing, in which a number of people were injured. One Mrs Anju suffered abortion due to this police attack and her condition is serious. A number of farmers were arrested.