India's premier civil rights network, National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), has begun an extended programme of action in more than 100 districts in support of Samyukt Kisan Morcha’s call for nation-wide resistance, which began on May 26, marking six months of farmers' struggle against "authoritarianism and anti-corporatisation."
Sending across message of peace, non-violence and equality on Buddh Purnima, even as paying homage to more than 480 farmers "martyred" on Delhi borders, NAPM said, "We reiterate our support to the Kisan Andolan, and we condemn the devious design by the ruling party and its associated farmers’ wing Bhartiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) which has resorted to malicious and false propaganda against the movement.
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May 26 marked six months of historic resistance and valiant struggle by farmers and agricultural workers of the country, demanding the repeal of the three anti-farmer and pro-corporate agricultural laws forced upon them by the NDA government. The struggle has faced numerous instances of police violence, oppression and unlawful arrests.It has defeated the right-wing misinformation campaign, propaganda and every other attempt to malign it. It has also braved the harsh winter of North India, heat storms, rain and thunder. Despite severe weather conditions, covid related health risks and lockdown, the movement has found deep roots and spread all over the country.
In these six months, it has compelled the government to enter into dialogue multiple times. The farmers' movement also played a crucial role in the ouster of BJP and its allies in multiple assembly and panchayat elections. With the emergence of strong women’s leadership, the movement has also raised and faced complex questions of patriarchy that we must continue to engage with.
National Alliance of People’s Movements and its constituent members, as part of the wider farmers’ struggles and two national fronts (All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee – AIKSCC and Sanyukt Kisan Morcha – SKM) have continued to play an active role from villages to district headquarters, the state capital and Delhi borders. On May 26, AIKSCC-SKM called for national actions on the ground as well as online, keeping in mind the restrictions due to the pandemic. NAPM members, in line with our continued support, have begun organizing programmes in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and elsewhere.
Demanding the repeal of the three national farm laws, MSP (C2 + 50) for all crops and repeal of the Electricity Bill, farmers and workers are raising demands related to pending payments of the sugarcane and wheat to farmers in Uttar Pradesh, no government purchase of the bumper corn crop in Bihar, lack of implementation of the Supreme Court orders directing ration and monetary support to migrant workers, urban poor and working-class people, work under NREGA with Rs 600 per day wage, the release of political prisoners, stopping of the central vista and other unnecessary infrastructure projects, free vaccination for all, better health facilities etc.
In places where mass gatherings are not allowed, NAPM is raising protest flags at homes, holding small programmes, sit-ins for a short duration, releasing social media statements, organizing Facebook and youtube live programmes, zoom meetings and so on.
We reiterate our support to the Kisan Andolan, and we condemn the devious design by the ruling party and its associated farmers’ wing Bhartiya Kisan Sangh which has resorted to malicious and false propaganda against the movement.
We state in no uncertain terms that the BKS has back-stabbed the farmers' movement and it is mass initiatives like the SKM and AIKSCC which are holding the flag of farmers’ rights in true spirit. It needs to be noted that BJP’s IT cell, RSS, pro-establishment media, troll army and their own ministers have resorted to several such attempts in the past and continue to do so even now. Farmers’ movements remain steadfast and united in their demand for repeal of three agricultural laws.
It is important to note that while the Supreme Court has issued an interim stay on the implementation of the three farm laws, the Union government and its favoured corporate houses continue to prepare the ground for the implementation of the laws. We condemn the actions of the government and the corporations that would eventually lead to massive land grab, impoverishment of farmers and dismantling of the PDS.
May 26 also marked seven years of the NDA government at the Centre. These years have seen a series of anti-people policy measures (latest attack being on Lakshadweep), the severe undermining of the constitution and autonomous institutions, mass dissemination of fake information, intimidation of media and judiciary, repression of dissent and activists, and extreme polarization of society.
These measures have pushed millions of people into penury and pushed us many years back as a nation. It’s not only the last two years of the Corona pandemic. Right from demonetization to the dilution of labour, agriculture and environmental laws and to the attack on every welfare measure from PDS and pensions to subsidies on health, education, cooking gas etc, the measures have contributed to price rise, inflation and unemployment.
The first and second wave of Corona have completely exposed to the world the criminal failure and hollowness of every other claim of this government and the Prime Minister, in particular. They have lost every moral authority to be in power. If India is to be saved, the BJP-led Central government must be replaced with a multi-party national unity government, to deal with this extraordinary crisis.
We shall continue to stand with the farming and working classes, as they face the twin attacks of the worst pandemic and the anti-people policies of this fascist regime. We remain steadfast in defending democratic spaces at all costs.
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