Vol. XLI No. 09 February 26, 2017
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Farmers to go ahead with ‘Jaipur Kooch’ on March 2

The Rajasthan state committee of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) has said that the rollback of electricity tariff hikes and other announcements by the government is a victory of the organised and united peasant movement in Rajasthan. The broadest unity of peasants and their participation in resilient activism across all districts of the state, under the four month old movement led by the Kisan Sabha has made the anti-farmer Vasundhara Raje government lose its sleep. The BJP-RSS state government has been forced to concede defeat in front of the organised peasant movement.

Addressing a press conference in Jaipur on February 19, AIKS national president, Amraram, state president Pemaram and state secretary Chagan Chaudhary, announced that as per the decision of the state committee meeting held on February 19, the proposed ‘Jaipur Kooch’ against hike in the electricity tariffs and other issues would still go ahead. Saluting the peasants of the state on this epic victory, they said that history is testimony to the fact that the government had to bow whenever the peasants take to the battlefield. But the struggles do not end with this victory. Issues pertaining to the livelihoods of farmers linger on. Fair prices for yields, loan waivers, provisions of insurance claims in the interest of farmers, implementation of the Swaminathan Committee Report and protection from stray and wild animals along with many other demands remain unresolved. Hence the AIKS has decided to continue this resilient struggle despite this victory.

The BJP and the Congress have a consensus as far as implementing neoliberal policies in agriculture and electricity are concerned, which are the exact reasons leading to the ruin of farmers and the common people in the state and nationwide. Both parties are good at play-acting the part of opposition when out of power, but on acquiring it pursue the same neoliberal agenda to push the peasants and the common masses onto the precipice.

The AIKS state committee has therefore resolved to expose the anti-farmer polices of the BJP and the Congress and continue the struggle. The ‘Jaipur Kooch’ to be organised on the Vidyadhar Nagar stadium in Jaipur shall go ahead as planned. On March 2, farmers of Rajasthan will assemble at Jaipur in their thousands to conduct a Kisan Panchayat, and shall announce the next step of the struggle regarding electricity tariffs and other demands.