August 03, 2014
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AIKS to Campaign against Neo-Liberal Policies in Agriculture

THE two day meeting of the All India Kisan Council of the AIKS concluded on July 26, with a call to undertake massive campaigns among the peasantry against the efforts being taken by the BJP led Modi government to impose neo-liberal policies on the people of the country, especially on the peasantry. The resolution adopted by the meeting called upon the peasantry to rebuff the communal conspiracies of the BJP-Sangh Parivar duo and work for the defence of secularism. The AIKS will work hard to enhance the unity and struggles of peasants to protect its interests and the best interests of the country. The meeting observed that though the union government changed, the policies remain the same. Against the expectations of those people who have voted it to power, the BJP led government’s actions are against the interest of the poor and marginalised people. The AIKS will prepare a demand charter of peasants to submit to the prime minister and union agriculture minister. The state units of AIKS will observe demands day by organising massive rallies and demonstrations at taluka level as a first major all India campaign against the Modi government. The AIKC meeting has called for broadest possible unity of peasantry by reaching out to all peasant and agricultural workers organisations against the neo-liberal policies that plunged agriculture in too deep crisis. A consultative meeting of all Left peasant and agriculture workers unions will be organised in the near future. The meeting also condemned through a resolution the total apathy of the NDA government to the plight of the millions of farmers and agricultural workers who face acute drought due to deficient monsoon. A contingency plan to deal with such an eventuality should have been in place well in advance but the government is in a state of unpreparedness, pointed out the resolution. The extraordinary situation requires remedial measures to be taken up on a war footing. The meeting warned the people against the efforts of Modi government, compromising India’s stand on food security and price support at WTO. The AIKS demanded that the NDA government stand up to the pressure from USA, the EU and other developed countries and remain committed to linking trade facilitation with food and livelihood security and push for a permanent solution to the G33 food security proposal and India forge solidarity of developing and least developed countries in this regard. The meeting called up on all state units to organise landless people and the poor and marginalised peasants to wage land struggle wherever land concentration exists. It condemned the Modi government to amend the Land Acquisition Act to make it more corporate friendly. The meeting also called for empowering MNREGA with more allocations, linking the project with agriculture and ensuring minimum wage to workers and ensure enrolment of all deserving population in the coverage of food security Act. By joining hands with trade unions, All India Agriculture Workers Union, and state level unions of the MNREGA workers, district level joint agitations will be organised by various state units. A year-long birth centenary celebration of veteran peasant leader and former general secretary of AIKS, Comrade Hare Krishna Konar will be observed from August 5, 2014.