Better Wheat Price Attained through Struggle

The Joint Action of four peasant organizations namely Kirti Kisan Union, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta) and two Kisan Sabhas has been advancing scoring victories on the way. Recently they waged a militant struggle and held a nine day long Dharna at Chandigarh for better price for wheat. The relentless struggle forced the govt. to increase the rate of wheat by Rs. 30 a quintal. Before this, these peasant organizations had succeeded in securing assurance from the Punjab Govt. that the peasants defaulting on payment of their loans would not be arrested. Their second success was in getting an increased price for sugarcane last year. Third, they succeeded in getting the wheat prices increased last year through a big peasant rally on 16^th March at Chandigarh. Their most remarkable achievement was forcing the Govt. to purchase paddy in the last season. The Govt. had refused to make the paddy purchases when FCI Chairman Bhure Lal had announced that the Punjab paddy was inferior in quality. The Govt. had lowered the paddy price by Rs. 25 per quintal. This joint forum took to struggle, completely blocked road and rail traffic in Punjab and forced the Central and Punjab Govt. to withdraw the cut in the paddy price. They gheraoed the officials and forced them to purchase paddy.  After this, now the increase of Rs. 30 in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) is a splendid achievement.

This achievement has been remarkable not because there was an increase of Rs. 30 in the prices of wheat, but its importance lies in the context in which this increase was achieved. In this period, on the dictates of World Trade Organization (WTO), Govt. is gradually withdrawing from declaring MSP for the agricultural produce and from making purchases. Central Govt.’s Commission on Agricultural Costs and Prices had already recommended a decrease of Rs. 60 a quintal over last year’s MSP of Rs. 580 per quintal. Presenting the Union Budget on 27^th February this year, Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha had stated that FCI would make purchase only for “Food Security”; otherwise the responsibility to purchase grain will be of the state govts. In this situation the Govt. was avoiding declaring the MSP and to get an increase of Rs. 30 per quintal in this situation is indeed a remarkable achievement.

The peasant leaders of this joint front had anticipated this situation. In its areas of work, Kirti Kisan Union (KKU) had tried to mobilize the peasantry and draw them into struggle by organizing Kisan marches, prabhat pheris, rallies, meetings and conferences. On 15^th March, thousands of peasants started their indefinite Dharna at Matka Chowk in Chandigarh. District wise contingents of different organizations pitched their tents along side the road.  Langar (community kitchen) was started. Peasants who are ever busy in their work, whose whole life is of toil, were enjoying fragrance of roses and lush green grass in the Rose Garden. The people of Chandigarh coming for walks in the Rose Garden were surprised and amused at seeing these uninvited guests. They saw the people who grow food who maintain their lives. Peasants also saw city life from close quarters. They took bath in fountains and slept on the velvet grass. This was a new experience for them.

Taking their food in the morning, peasants would assemble near the stage presided over by a Presidium consisting of Presidents of the Peasant Organizations. The meeting would start and the speakers would expose the anti-peasant policies of Badal Govt., disastrous effects of WTO on agriculture and corruption and anti-people policies of Vajpayee Govt. Meeting used to last till 4 P.M. After this some peasants would take a walk in the Rose Garden and some would hold group discussions while volunteers would engage in preparing evening meals. After meals, peasants would hold group discussions and enjoy songs of struggle till late. Prepared food and milk would also come in tractors and trolleys from the villages.

Threatened by the intensifying struggle of the peasants, Chief Minister Badal conducted two rounds of discussion with peasant leaders. During these meetings the demands like payment of compensation of Rs. 2.5 lakhs to the families of the peasants who had committed suicide, ban on arrest of peasants for payment of loans, giving power connection to the peasants who have filed ‘test reports’ and constitution of a committee on the problem of indebtedness were accepted. But the talks broke down on the issue of the rates of wheat. Badal was saying that this was a matter concerning Central Govt. while the peasant leaders maintained that in case Centre does not agree, then Punjab Govt. should announce bonus as Haryana govt. had announced. But Badal refused this exposing his anti-peasant character.

As the Dharna continued, the restlessness among peasants kept on increasing. New contingents were daily arriving to join the Dharna and supply of ration was continuing. Despite the Tehelka expose, peasant struggle continued to remain in the limelight. Peasants organized a demonstration in the city on 21^st March.

Peasant rally on 23^rd Mach was dedicated to Shaheed Bhagat Singh and his comrades. Leaders of the peasant organizations decided that in case Central Govt. does not accept the demand, the train traffic throughout Punjab would be blocked w.e.f. 5^th April 2001. Even as this decision was being taken, Cabinet subcommittee on economic affairs decided to increase the wheat MSP by Rs. 30. Victorious, the peasants returned to their villages firm in their belief that only through organization and struggle they can secure their rights.