THE joint platform of Central Trade Unions has declared observance of ‘Save Agriculture-Save Democracy Day’ on June 26. In a joint statement, the CTU’s noted that the farmers' agitation, led by Samyukta Kisan Morcha completed 200 days of continuous protest on June 14. They said that the farmers have occupied main highways leading into national capital Delhi, for their demands to repeal three farm laws, taking back the Electricity (Amendment) Ordnance, 2021, and legal guarantee for the MSP.

The farmers have not only faced bone-chilling cold and winter, destructive storms, scorching summer and now, the onset of rains, the kisans have faced all this and have sacrificed almost 500 of their brethren. But the out-and-out pro-corporate central government that is bent on pushing these laws as well as the four hated labour codes is not prepared to listen, the joint statement read.

“June 26th marks the completion of a seven-month-long struggle. There are several struggles, including this farmers' agitation, against the undeclared emergency and authoritarian BJP regime that the country is experiencing today. Even those inhabiting the small island of Lakshadweep are up against these authoritarian ways of the BJP, what to talk of the complete mess they have made in countering the devastating second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic” said the CTUs.

June 26 also is the death anniversary of the legendary farmer leader Swami Sahajanand Saraswati, will be marked with protests including sit-ins at Raj Bhavans in various states in addition to district/tehsil level protests all over India.

The CTU’s appealed to all their members to reach out to all the sections of people to join hands in this nationwide action on June 26.

Repealing of the four labour codes, the three farm laws, the Electricity (Amendment) Ordnance, 2021, Legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for farmer produce, universal free vaccination within a specific time frame are among their major demands.

They also demanded 10 kg free food grains per person per month to all needy and Rs 7,500 per month to every non-income tax-paying family and to take back the policy of privatisation of public sector enterprises and government departments.

The CTU’s also demanded that the government and PSU employees working day and night in the COVID-19 like  railway and road transport, coal, defence, SAIL, BHEL, telecom and postal service's, banks and insurance, electricity, water, education, and health services,  EPFO, port, and dock, etc., be treated as frontline staff and be compensated accordingly.

Lastly, the CTU’s demanded Rs 50 lakh insurance to all frontline workers including ASHA, anganwadi employees, sanitation workers; adequate compensation to the families of the workers who died due to Covid 19.