Andhra Pradesh State AIKMS General Council meeting was held successfully on July 30 and 31, 2002 at Com. Nandanam Venkat Rao Hall in Mancherial of Adilabad Dist. 131 delegates from 13 districts participated. AIKMS General Secretary Com. V Venkataramaiah hoisted the flag. Meeting started by observing 2 minutes silence in the memory of martyrs. In his inaugural speech Com. V. Venkataramaiah pointed out that in the interests of the country and peasantry, India must quit WTO.

Speaking on the topic “Globalization and Agricultural Crisis”, AIKMS Secretary Com. P.S. Thakur said that Globalization is aimed at markets of backward countries to dispose off the excess produce from imperialist countries and through WTO, World Bank and IMF they have changed the economic policies of these countries in their favour. Indian ruling classes have amended Exim policy in favour of MNCs. As a result our agricultural sector, which provides livelihood to over 70% of the population, is facing deep crisis which is going to be aggravated.

Speaking on “Land Problem in India” Com. V Venkataramaiah said that agrarian revolution is the axis of new democratic revolution in India. In the agrarian revolution “land to the tiller” is the Central factor and hence AIKMS should concentrate on land issue. He exposed how the ruling classes, in the wake of upsurge in revolutionary movements, enacted laws with loopholes and especially stressed their bogus implementation. He stressed the link between land issue and social development and explained the characteristics of Great Telangana Armed struggle, Naxalbari and Srikakulam Armed struggles which had forced the land issue on the agenda. He called upon AIKMS leaders to make concrete study of different types of land encroachments in the countryside.

After these two lectures, state AIKMS General Secretary explained AIKMS activities in the state over past two years since 6th state level conference held in Nalgonda district. The members of the General Council participated in the discussion on detailed report of successes and shortcomings and adopted a 14 point future programme with some amendments and additions.

Prior to adoption of this report, Com. Y.S. Rao, AIKMS Secretary explaining the ongoing movements in the state and congratulated the cadres for their endeavours. He advised cadres to concentrate in villages to build a strong movement.

General Council expressed deep anguish at drought situation in the state resulting in serious damage to kharif crop, at lack of proper power supply and scarcity of drinking water. GC demanded reimbursement of the losses to the peasants, postponement of collection of all dues from peasants, scrapping of debts of drought affected peasants, drought relief work for agricultural labours and undertaking of permanent drought relief. It gave a call for dharnas at all Mandal centres from August 5 to 7 demanding drought relief measures.

General Council gave a call to intensify movements to occupy land. According to Govt. statistics there are about 58 lakh acres of surplus, temple, govt. banjar lands in the state while govt. declared that there is no land left to be distributed among poor. On the other hand, state govt. has allotted 32,629 acres of govt. lands and 17,533 acres of surplus land to various govt. departments. General Council condemned the BJP slogan “land to able tiller”, aimed at misleading peasants. General Council decided that poor rural masses should be organized to occupy land and demanded pattas to rural poor who have occupied and are cultivating  lands.

General Council also passed resolutions demanding India quit WTO, implementation of minimum wage for agricultural labours, against World Bank conditionalities, demanding completion of pending projects specially Godavari water scheme, against govt. design to scrap 1/70 act, against privatization of govt. cooperative sugar factories, demanding reservation for SCs, STs, and BCs in private sector GC extended support to various struggles of peasantry like cotton peasants in Anantpur, tobacco peasants in Prakasam, aqua peasants in Nellore, peasant struggles for proper power supply and against forcible collections and condemned police action against agitating peasants.

General Council also demanded scrapping of POTA, withdrawal of false cases against AIKMS secretary com. Y.S. Rao and condemned police lathicharge on FAIG rally in Delhi on May 10, 2002.