Farmers Continue to press for their demands

thumbnailFarmers all across the country have been agitating for their long-standing demands to ensure that they are able to make a sustainable living from agriculture. The two main demands of the farmers that have widespread support are remunerative prices for their produce and a one-time waiver of loans. Both these demands are just and are in the general interest of society. However, governments at the Centre and in states do not want to seriously address the farmers’ concerns since it will reduce the profits of monopolies dominating the agricultural trading.

Farmers all across the country have been agitating for their long-standing demands to ensure that they are able to make a sustainable living from agriculture. The two main demands of the farmers that have widespread support are remunerative prices for their produce and a one-time waiver of loans. Both these demands are just and are in the general interest of society. However, governments at the Centre and in states do not want to seriously address the farmers’ concerns since it will reduce the profits of monopolies dominating the agricultural trading.

farmers agitation on 1-June in MP

MP farmers on protest on 1 June 2018

age farmers throw vegies in Bagha Purana in Moga Punjab

Farmers of Mogha district of Punjab throwing their produce on the road as a mark of protest

Farmers of Hanumangarh holding protest on 10 June 2018

Farmers of Hanumangarh holding protest on 10 June 2018

Farmers shavasan on the road

Farmers performing shavasan on the road on
International Yoga Day 21 June 2018

Various farmers’ organisations planned a 10-day long protest action, from 1st to 10th June 2018 to continue to press for their demands in the face of the callous apathy of the governments. Farmers decided to stop the supply of farm produce to the cities and hold demonstrations at prominent locations. These actions were launched on the first anniversary of the police firing on unarmed agitating farmers on 6th June 2017, in Mandsaur Madhya Pradesh.

Farmers in six states – Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana –began the 10-day strike on 1st June by throwing away their milk and vegetables on the roads to bring public attention to the fact that they do not get adequate returns for their produce in the mandis. Kisan Ekta Manch, Rashtriya Kisan Maha Sangh, Bhartiya Kisan Union, Aam Kisan Union, Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Mahasangh were among the organisations that organised actions in these states. A meeting of the coordination committee of farmers’ organisations, which are umbrella bodies of 172 farmers’ outfits, was held in May to give final shape to the programme. All India Kisan Sabha held protest actions in 23 districts of Maharashtra.

On 10th June, farmers’ organisations held Bharat Bandh to mark the end of their 10-day agitation. In Gujarat, farmers threw vegetables and spilled milk on roads in Saurashtra, Central and North Gujarat. The day-long bandh was observed in Keshod town of Junagadh district. Reports were received from Amroha in UP about farmers throwing tomatoes on road as part of the agitation and impeding movement of any goods on June 10. In most rural areas in the country, markets remained closed till 2:00 PM. On the same day farmers of Hanumangarh district held a protest action to demand availability of canal water for irrigation. Farmers came from Netrana, Diplana, Munsari and Bhadra and took part in this action.

While farmers are getting ruined due to agriculture crisis, the ruling bourgeois class, represented by its political parties in power, is least bothered. This can be seen in the statement made by the Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on Saturday, 2nd June, who tried to write off farmers protests merely as a stunt for getting media attention. He even went to the extent of saying that farmers were committing suicide just for media coverage! The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister refused to acknowledge that farmers were angry and holding protests, while at the same time despatching large number of police and Special Armed Forces to various parts of the state including five companies to Mandsaur.

In the face of apathy from the rulers, farmers are continuing their agitation after their 10-day action. On 15th June, farmers organised coordinated highway blockade actions. 62 farmer unions have been reported to have participated in this blockade of national highways. In Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab national highways were blocked for three hours in order to press for the farmers’ two main demands. The farmers blocked NH-1 near the Anaj Mandi at Ambala in Haryana, around 45 kilometres from Chandigarh. They parked their tractors on the highway and squatted on the road despite the sweltering heat. Large number of police and CRPF were reported to have been deployed in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Sonepat, and Jind. In Punjab, farmers blocked traffic near the industrial town of Phagwara near Jalandhar, around 130 kilometres from Chandigarh. There were reports of other highways being blocked by the farmers in Haryana and Punjab as well. In Madhya Pradesh report of blocade has been received from Bhopal where highways were blocked from Noon to 3 pm. Ambulances were however exempted from the blocade.

Actions were continued on 21st June also. Thousands of farmers across India spread themselves on the highways and roads on International Yoga Day (21st June) to perform shavasana. Such actions were carried out on highways in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Uttarakhand from 9 am to 12 pm.

The agitation of farmers is clearly showing that farmers across India are facing severe agricultural distress. Instead of addressing the legitimate demands of the farmers, the rulers of India are only pursuing policies that are benefitting a handful of monopoly corporations and which are clearly against the interest of farmers and vast majority of toiling people of India. The organisations heading these actions are planning for concerted future actions in August.

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