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Statement issued by Maharashtra Committee
of Lok Raj Sangathan - 4th December 2005
Protecting the livelihood
of Peasants is one of the basic duties of Government!
Dear Peasant brothers and sisters,
We on behalf of Maharashtra committee of LRS, send you all
who have gathered in Pune for this important meeting our warmest
greetings. In the recent All India convention of our organization
held in Delhi on 1st & 2nd October 2005, major problems
encountered by the Peasantry of India and the challenges in
front of the Peasantry's struggles, was one of the very important
subjects discussed and debated. The Convention unanimously adopted
resolutions supporting various extremely important demands being
raised by Peasantry all over the country. The Convention also
pledged to do everything possible to strengthen your struggles.
We fully support your following demands for which you have
gathered in Pune and which are being raised by the Sheti Bachao
Desh Bachao Jan Andolan.
- That the stand to be taken in the Ministerial conference
to be held in Hong Kong, by the Indian delegation should be
decided after fully informed debate in the Parliament and
only after taking Peasants, their organizations and Indian
people in confidence.
- That any proposal seeking to free imports of agricultural
products should be summarily rejected.
- That any proposals which may lead to passing the control,
directly or indirectly, of agriculture or natural resources
of our country into the hands of Markets or companies must
be summarily rejected.
- That the process of agriculture, agri-trade, electricity,
education, finance sectors going into the hands of big multi-nationals
or private companies must be stopped.
- That food security of the country, agriculture and natural
wealth of the country must not be sacrificed on the altar
of subsidies to handful of big business houses of India.
- That agriculture subsidy should be increased in such a
way and to such an extent that farmers can get regular and
quality supply of electricity, seeds, loan etc.
Dear brothers and sisters,
It is really extremely shameful and intolerable that the producers
of most important wealth, Food, have to commit suicide in thousands
due to the fact that governments after governments are refusing
to take any responsibility for their well-being. Governments
after governments and their Oxford and Cambridge trained ideologues,
are telling the farmers of our country that "Farmers have
to fend for themselves!" These governments are using the
same language when dealing with all the working people of our
country. These governments are callously and arrogantly pursuing
the anti people Economic Reforms policies that millions of people
across the country from all walks of life are vociferously opposing.
Thus citizens, the struggle of farmers is one with the struggle
of all the working people of our country. It is the struggle
in the defence of livelihood, it is a struggle to live a life
of dignity, it is a struggle to force "powers that be"
to accept the basic fact that defending livelihood and promoting
well being of all the citizens of the country is the most important
and fundamental duty of the government. Hence all the working
people are supporting the struggle of our farmer brethren.
Dear brothers and sisters,
There is no doubt that the Imperialists all over the world
are eager to loot the natural and human resources of our country.
That is why through their organs like WTO, WB and IMF they exert
political and economic pressure on governments of other countries
to make suitable changes in various policies. But they are not
alone. Big capitalists of our country are also not behind. They
also nurture the same ambitions. For them it does not matter
whether the profits are generated by looting people of our country
or some other country. That is why the Indian big capitalists
are in the forefront in demanding anti-farmer, anti-people policy
changes. Along with multinationals like ITC, Cargill, etc.,
it is the Indian big capitalists like Mittal of Bharti Telecom,
Godrej, Thapar, Tatas, Mahindras, DCM group, Reliance, etc.
who are pushing for privatisation of mandis, relaxation of the
Land Ceiling Act so that corporate farming becomes possible,
relaxation of import duties on agri-products, reduction of subsidies
to farmers etc. etc. Thus brothers and sisters we have to fight
against both Indian and International capitalists in defense
of our livelihood.
Dear Farmer brothers and sisters,
Just like you, it is the experience of all the working people
of our country that we all are completely powerless in deciding
the policies of our country's governments at all levels. In
this so-called democracy we can at the most vote out certain
governments during elections. But that still does not ensure
the reversal of anti-people policies. What happens is that during
elections all the major political parties give all sorts of
tall promises but continue the same anti-people course of our
economy. That is what has happened during the entire period
from 1947 till now and that has been the experience since 1991
also, the period of New Economic Reforms, during which all sorts
of combinations and coalitions have come to power at the center
and in Maharashtra. But whether it is Congress or NCP or BJP
or Sena or their allies in government, the same policies have
continued. In Maharashtra Vilasrao or Sharadrao or Munde or
Balasaheb Thakre, all claim to be working in the interests of
the farmers of Maharashtra. But has any of them while in government
taken the necessary executive steps to accede to all the demands
mentioned above which you have been raising since last many
years. No! In fact when in power all of them shamelessly have
pushed for and pushing for reduction of subsidy to farmers,
opening of farm sector to corporates, reduction of import duties
on agri-products, privatization of mandis, etc., which are exactly
contrary to your demands.
Hence Brothers and sisters,
Along with the struggle that you are waging, conditions are
crying for you to wage another struggle i.e. political struggle.
A struggle to progressively weed out the influence of all the
big parties of Indian capitalists like Cong, NCP, BJP &
Shiv Sena from the farmers movement by taking practical steps
for example ensuring Gao Bandi to all those netas who refuse
to support your demands, public boycott of all such persons
and not allowing them to use your platforms. Time is calling
on you to ask your existing elected political representatives
i.e. Panchayat members, Nagarsevaks, Corporators, MLA's &
MP's as to where they stand vis a vis your above demands. If
they agree with your demands you must ask them to resign from
political parties which do not agree to implement these demands
immediately. Time is calling on you to use these demands as
a litmus test to determine who is with you and who is against
you. Time is calling on you work towards launching a political
offensive so that during the forthcoming elections to all the
elected bodies, from Gram panchayat to Lok Sabha, your organizations
of peasants along with other such organizations of working people
can put up their own candidates and ensure their election.
Brothers and sisters,
The present system of electoral politics and governance is
designed in such a way that the will of minority super rich
of our country prevails by concentrating all the decision making
power in the hands of their lackeys. We, all the working people
of our country, need to think what kind of new system we want
to install in its place, so that will and well being of the
majority shall prevail. We all will have to work to establish
such a system in place of the present system. This is the other
major political struggle for which we have to prepare ourselves.
We in the Lok Raj Sangathan are precisely working towards this
aim. As a part of our work we shall always strive our best to
assist all struggles, like yours, which are in the defense of
human dignity and for establishing People's power.
Indian government has no right
to sign on any Anti-peasant Anti-people clauses of WTO!
Peasants, let us begin
our Political struggle!
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