On 27^th March, Pendu Mazdoor Union (PMU) held a Convention in Deshbhagat Yadgar Hall at Jalandhar on the effects of World Trade Organization (WTO) on agricultural labourers. The Convention was presided over by the state president of PMU Com. Gurdev Singh, general secretary Com. Avtar Singh Rasulpur, state secretary Com. Tarsem Peter and Coms. Hari Ram Rasulpuri, Prem Singh Ropar, Sewa Singh, Hari Ram Bhojpuri and Sukhdev Singh Manuke. Thousands of labourers from different parts of Punjab participated in the Convention.

The main speaker of the Convention was Com. Sardara Singh Mahal. In his address, Com. Mahal said that under the policies of WTO, with the ruin of small entrepreneurs and small peasantry, the number of labourers would increase but the opportunities of employment would decline. With privatization of education, health and transport, higher education and good treatment would be out of the reach of the labourers. He further said that with privatization of public sector and services, the reservation for dalits would also come to an end. Com. Mahal said that India must come out of WTO and to force the rulers to come out of WTO, Com. Mahal stressed on the need to build a powerful mass movement.

Com. Gurdev Singh said that while the employment had already declined due to mechanization, with the WTO dictated policies peasants are being ruined and small industries are being closed. With this the problem of unemployment is becoming explosive.

Com. Avtar Singh Rasulpur said that under the pressure of WTO the govt. is trying to close the depots of cheap rations. The sharp increase in the prices of kerosene is also a part of these policies. Com. Tarsem Peter stated that the ruling classes since 1990 are formulating policies under the dictates of imperialist powers and the Central and state govts. are  implementing such anti-national policies, which are depriving the people of the meagre facilities available to them. He stressed the need to fight the WTO dictated policies in an organized way.

The Convention passed resolutions calling for India to quit WTO, punishment to those whose corruption was exposed by Tehelka tapes, resignation of Vajpayee govt. on moral grounds, subsidies for providing cheap ration through PDS should be restored and prices in ration should be halved; old age, widow and disabled pension should be immediately provided to the needy, all loans of labourers should be waived, domestic power charges of labourers should be waived, small industries should be started to provide employment to workers, possession of the plots allotted to labourers should be immediately given and plots should be allotted for keeping cattles.

After the Convention, a demonstration was taken out from Deshbhagat Hall to D.C. office and a Memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister was given to DC calling upon the Govt. to quit WTO.