AN overwhelming response from the people of Vijayawada to the Farmers' Solidarity Fund, collected by the Farmers' Struggle Solidarity Committee on January 25, showed that the farmers protesting in Delhi are not alone in their struggle and that they have the wider support of the people. About 600 activists belonging to various mass organisations, in 250 batches, have met nearly 40,000 people and collected an amount of Rs 4,01,652 in 400 hundis.

People from all walks of life responded with humanity. A young lady donated all her domestic savings to the farmers’ struggle. One priest of a temple donated Rs 100 to the farmers. One police officer donated in the 'hundi'. One intelligence staff member who came on duty for surveillance on the hundi collection, himself donated Rs 50 through a rickshaw worker.

Vijayawada city stood in support of farmers' struggle through the ‘We too for farmers’ campaign. The common people also showed their dissatisfaction in the central government led by Modi, through their donations. Though the TDP and YSRCP leaders supported the farm laws succumbing to the pressures of the BJP government, the common people fearlessly and openly showed their discontent.

Meanwhile the BJP and the RSS have started to collect donations for Ram temple with a motive to gain political mileage. However, only big corporates are donating crores of rupees to this fund and display their support to Modi. The public have clearly taken the side of the farmers.

The photographer of a renowned English daily who covered this programme, donated in the hundi. The management of the corporate media may support the government, but the staff is in support of the farmers. People donated whatever amount they could, expressing their inability to give more due to lack of jobs in this Corona pandemic period. Even panhandlers donated small amounts out of their collection through begging and demonstrated their solidarity. Knowing about this programme through the media and social media, some people have directly remitted money to Delhi by online. Women came forward and encouraged their family members to donate. Many sections of the people supported this cause in different forms.

This programme enthused common people and the Party cadre as well. Starting at the walkers parks in the early morning, the programme continued till midnight and concluded at the food courts.

Lawyers had collected thousands of rupees in the court in an hour and the municipal workers who collected garbage from door-to-door have collected funds while performing their duty and set an example of worker-peasant unity. Anganwadi workers collected funds from the parents of the children in their jurisdiction and auto rickshaw workers collected funds from passengers. Student leaders explained the situation and the students contributed as per their capacity. Government offices, rytu bazaars, bus stand, railway station, almost every public place has become a collection centre for Farmers' Solidarity Fund.

To express solidarity to the farmers struggle and to express peoples' anger against the government, all forms of struggle – signature campaign, extending moral support through social media, collecting struggle funds etc., are to be properly utilised to facilitate the people's participation. For the success of the struggle, support has to be garnered, from wider sections of the people.