Farmers Movement Archive

Major and minor outfits join hands for farmers strike

Nagpur: Local level farm outfits across the region have joined hands, taking along even sundry social organizations, to take part in Tuesday’s Bharat bandh agitation against the new agriculture laws. Members of Sikh community in the city have also expressed solidarity with farmers from Punjab agitating at the Delhi border. A protest meet is planned by Nagpur Truckers’ Unit, an association of transporters, at Teka Naka, in support of Punjab farmers.Impact of the agitations are expected in the taluka places and smaller towns like district headquarters, said activists. Apart from bigger organization like Swabhimani Shetkari Sangathan, which mainly has presence in western Maharashtra, a number of splinter groups backed by political parties are expected to join, said sources. The market yards run by agriculture produce market committees, including that in Kalamna, may be shut on Tuesday.Devanand Pawar, a senior Congress leader from Yavatmal, said a meeting of over 40 outfits, which included farmers’ and social organizations apart from traders’ bodies was held on Sunday. As the traders’ cooperation was sought, a major response is expected from the farmers in general too, he said. Pawar said the outfits include Samata Parva — a Dalit body, Prahar — a party led by minister of state for school education Bachu Kadu, farmers’ bodies Shetkari Nayah Haqqa Samiti, and Kisan Putra Sangharsh Samiti, apart from others will take part in the protest. Congress party’s farmers’ arm Kisan Congress is also mobilizing farmers.Vijay Jawandhia, a veteran farm activist from Wardha district, said even there more than 40 outfits held a meeting. Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha, the farmers arm of Communist Party of India (CPI), and leaders of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were among them. “A farm leader at Rajura in Chandrapur district has submitted a letter on my letter head to seek permission for holding a protest,” said Jawandhia. “We are expecting support from the village level too. The farmers have been asked to carry out protests in their villages itself instead of coming to the towns,” said Yashwant Zade of Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha.Former MP Raju Shetti of Shetkari Swabhimani Paksha claimed that the agitation will get full support not only in western Maharashtra but also in Vidarbha. “Our party has a base even in Vidarbha and farmers are expected to mobilize in good numbers,” he said.“Protests are expected in almost every taluka place. There is general discontent among agriculturists due to which even the common farmer is expected to take part in the agitation on Tuesday,” said Kishore Tiwari, chairman of Vasantrao Naik Shetkari Swabhiman Mission (VNSSM), the state government think tank on agrarian crisis.Tiwari, who was earlier an activist, said a number of big and small organizations have joined hands for the strike.However, Shetkari Sangathana, which had carried out vehement agitations to press for farmers rights till the 1980s, will not take part in the strike. The organization formed by late Sharad Joshi has backed a free market policy and use of latest technology in agriculture.“We are not only supporting the laws but also want that the provisions that call for again imposing stock limit if the markets go beyond a certain limit must be done away it. The law calls for bringing back stock limits if the rates go beyond 50% of the average for perishable agricultural items and 100% for horticultural products. Prices are expected to increase quite often because of the market fluctuations. If the limits are imposed frequently it will only hamper free trade. The limits should be imposed only in dire emergencies like war or natural calamities,” said Anil Ghanawat of Shetkari Sangathana.President of Chamber of Associations of Maharashtra Industry and Trade (CAMIT) Dipen Agrawal assured farmers that trading community is with them in their fight for justice, but due to prolonged closure of businesses over last seven months, traders will not pull down shutters on December 8.

The Times of India

2020-12-08

Nagpur