FARMERS’ DILLI CHALO PREPARATIONS FROM NOV. 26-27, 2020 IN FULL SWING
STRUGGLE TO INTENSIFY AT ALL LEVELS TO GET CENTRAL ANTI-FARMER LAWS REPEALED
STATE PROTESTS and GRAMEEN BHARAT BANDH TO INTENSIFY
HARYANA GOVERNMENT’S CRACKDOWN ON FARMER LEADERS CONDEMNED
New Delhi, 24th November 2020: In a press conference attended by National Working Group members and state level coordinators, All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) announced that farmers’ “Dilli Chalo” program from November 26th and 27th 2020 is underway in full swing. Addressing a press conference today, the national and state level leaders of AIKSCC said that the farmers’ protest will continue indefinitely if the central government does not accede to their demands. “Farmers’ indefinite struggle with Dilli Chalo on November 26th onwards has been launched in full strength and we will intensify the struggle from here on”, they said. The main demands include a repeal of the three ‘Central Farm Acts’ and a withdrawal of the Electricity Bill 2020, as these are anti-farmer and anti-people, and have been created mainly to facilitate the expansion of corporate control over our agriculture and our food systems.
AIKSCC reiterated their earlier-announced program and urged farmers from all over India to march to Delhi to press for their demands. They appealed to other sections of society to step forward and support our anna daatas’ legitimate demand for their interests to be protected and cooperate with the farmers’ program.
Tens of thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and other states are moving to come into Delhi from various sides through different modes of transport. Hundreds are also going to reach Delhi in vehicle convoys from Karnataka, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh which have already set off.
The National Working Group of AIKSCC has severely condemned the repression unleashed by the Haryana BJP govt and arrests of several farmer and TU leaders there since last night. 31 leaders have been detained or arrested in Haryana since last night. “Such repression will only embolden the farmers’ struggle as it is a life and death question for them”.
AIKSCC has also condemned governments’ attempts to use the excuse of Covid-19 to thwart the democratic right of citizens to protest against anti-people moves. AIKSCC unequivocally criticised the GOI for deliberately hyping up the Covid-19 threat to promote and protect big Corporate and MNC interests in Agriculture. “Covid-19 care requires several medical and preventive steps, like distribution of masks, sanitizers, physical care of the needy and jobless, etc where GOI performance is woefully wanting. Government has rather imposed policing and fines which are counter-productive and meant to blame people and demoralize them”, it said in a press conference.
While poor government response to Covid is impacting various sections of our people, the 3 Black Farm Acts and Electricity Bill 2020 will ruin entire generations of Indian farmers by handing over control over farming, marketing and food supply chains to agri-businesses. “While farmers of India are committed to implement all necessary Covid precautions, they are determined to continue their struggle. GOI should stop mis-utilizing Covid threat to harm farmers”, they said.
In locations distant from Delhi, from where mobilisation of farmers to Delhi is difficult at this point of time given the lack of railway services, simultaneous protests will happen locally, at taluka, district and state levels.
16 newly elected Left MLAs in Bihar plan to protest outside the Legislative Assembly on 26th November. Additionally, dharnas and demonstrations are planned at most of block headquarters in every district of Bihar on 26-27 November.
In Jharkhand, there is a plan to march to the Raj Bhavan in the state capital. In Karnataka, one thousand points have been chosen to implement Grameen Karnataka Bandh. Jathas are underway in different districts to mobilise farmers in an intensified phase of struggle. Tamil Nadu will witness rasta roko and rail roko agitation in more than 500 places on the 26th November, with workers lending solidarity to farmers. District and taluka level protests are planned in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana and A.P. In Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, a state wide Grameen Hartal will be held on 26th November, and demonstrations at Central government offices at all district centres on 27th. In A.P., farmers will protest on the 27th in front of power substations across the state against the Electricity Bill and reforms. South Odisha will observe complete bandh on 26th November on the 3 farm bills and massive protests are planned on 27th. Mandis will remain closed in Maharashtra on 26th as part of Grameen Hartal and in 200 tehsils of 37 districts, tehsil level protests will be held. There is also a plan to have indefinite protests launched in some districts in parallel with the Delhi protest. In West Bengal, there will be widespread observance of Grameen Hartal in all districts. More than 500 conventions and outreach programs have been held in the past few weeks in the state.
Issued by:
National Working Group of All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC)
