People's Democracy

ADDRESSING the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) activists who concluded their two day hunger strike and dharna on Parliament Street on February 4, Brinda Karat called upon the UPA government to stop the farce of shedding false tears for the ‘aam admi’ even as its ministers worked overtime to fill the pockets of the ‘Khas admi.’ AIDWA activists in Delhi, along with their sisters in the capital cities in other states were focusing on the havoc that has been created in the lives of the people, and especially the women, due to spiraling prices. The double digit inflation has seriously threatened food security for lakhs of families in the country, they pointed out.

Demanding stern action against blackmarketeers and hoarders,  the AIDWA once again called for universalisation of  PDS;  immediate distribution of existing food grain stocks, ban on futures trading of essential commodities, regulation of fuel prices, enactment of a comprehensive pro-people food security act, and comprehensive measures for the farmers of the country. The struggle was launched by M K Pandhe, senior leader of the CITU who called for wide spread struggle against the policies of the UPA government.

The 500 activists gathered in Delhi, over the two days included representatives from Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab.

Those sitting on hunger strike were led by national leaders of the AIDWA general secretary Sudha Sundararaman, Jagmati Sangwan, Ashalata, Kirti Singh, Sehba Farooqui, Sumitra Chopra and Sandhya Shaily.

They were greeted by Tapan Sen from the CITU, Noorul Huda and Vijoo Krishnan from the AIKS, Hannan Mollah and Suneet Chopra from the AIAWU, V Namboodri From BSNLEU, Pushpendra Tyagi from DYFI as well as by Jyotsna Chatterjee (Joint Women’s Programme), Mary John, director  (CWDS) and representatives from YWCA.

The protestors vowed to intensify the agitation in the coming days and force the government to reverse its anti people policies.

DEMANDS

Ø                   Universalise and strengthen the PDS. Scrap the fraudulent APL/BPL targeting.

Ø                   Take stringent action against hoarders and blackmarketeers.

Ø                   Keep petrol, diesel, and kerosene prices under government control.

Ø                   Ban speculation and forward trading of food items and essential commodities.

Ø                   Introduce measures to increase food production, provide minimum support prices to farmers, enhance support for agricultural sector.

Ø                   Enact a comprehensive, pro people national food security act.