In protest against the lifting of Quantitative Restrictions (QRs) on the remaining 715 items, Delhi Committee of the CPI(ML)–New Democracy organized a protest programme at ITO Chowk in Delhi. Over one hundred party activists participated in the buring of effigy of WTO and Vajpayee Govt. Protesters also raised slogans demanding India Quit WTO and withdrawal of new economic policies. Protesters were addressed, among others, by the Secretary of Delhi Commitee of the Party, Com. Aparna.

Allahabad

AIKMS Leaders Arrested for Burning Effigies

AIKMS leaders, Com. Suresh, General Secretary of Bara Committee and Com. Bajrangi of Karchana were arrested by the Industrial Area P.S., Naini for burning an effigy of Vajpayee government and the WTO at Rampur Tiraha on Mirzapur road at about 12 noon on 1st April, 2001. Police also damaged the camera and film with which photographs of the protest were being taken.

Meanwhile AIKMS organised mass protest against lifting of quantitative restrictions on imports of 715 items by the NDA government w.e.f. 1st April this year. At more than 50 places in rural areas of Allahabad AIKMS activists gathered in good number and burnt effigies raising anti government and anti WTO slogans like “Indian govt. should Quit WTO”, “Pro-MNC Atal government murdabad”, “Battle for an independent India is ahead”, “Stop killing innocent minorities and poor farmers”, etc. At each place 100 to 200 people gathered.

At the meetings organised in these protests speakers condemned the government move to liberalise imports and exports. Of the imports liberalised, 342 are textile items and 147 are agricultural products. Minister Murosali Maran’s claim that agro imports will help upper class buyers only and not effect common buyers and farmers is totally bogus as in actual practice Indian small business and related agro producers will be totally leased out of the upper segment market which is the only profit making segment today. That sector will become a 100% MNC sector. Secondly the MNCs will use their expertise in marketing and advertising and not as a superior producer, to penetrate the lower segment markets, making India’s small business a further appendage of MNC products and ruining the associtated farming. All this will increase unemployment and further reduce wages.

Speakers also condemned removal of regulations on agri-exports along with removal of govt. security on production of foodgrains as they felt it will lead to peasants being lured by MNC purchase gimmicks and markets abroad and further make them replace foodgrains with cash crops seriously undermining India’s food security.

Bihar

Protest Programmes against Lifting of QRs

On the eve of lifting of QRs, on March 31, 2001, Jan Abhiyan Bihar took out a procession from Bhagat Singh chowk (Gandhi Maidan) to Dak Bangla chowraha. The processionists riased slogans against WTO, lifting of QRs, exim policy and pro-imperialist policies of Vajpayee Govt. At Dak Bangla chowk they burnt effigies of WTO and Vajpayee Govt.

The meeting at Dak Bangla chowk was addressed by Prof. A. P. Singh of CPI(ML)–New Democracy, Sachidanand Prabhat of AIPRF, Com. Arvind Sinha of CPI(ML)–Unity Initiative, Narender of CCI, Priyadarshi of Jan Mukti Sangharsh Vahini and others. Speakers called for intensifying struggle for quitting WTO and breaking the imperialist stranglehold over the country.

On the call of AIKMS, programmes of burning of effigies of WTO and Vajpayee Govt. in protest against lifting of QRs were organized in several districts of Bihar. At Mushaheri block hundreds of people participated in the protest demonstration addressed by Com. Prakash Das and Com. Manoj Mishra. Com. Prakash Das outlined the adverse effects on agriculture due to lifting of QRs on all items.