ON August 22, 2022, the P Sundarayya Memorial Trust, along with LeftWord Books, organised a seminar on “The Future of the Farmers’ Movement in India”, along with a discussion on the book “When farmers stood up: how the historic kisan struggle in India unfolded”, written by AIKS president, Ashok Dhawale.

Farmers from Haryana and Punjab, activists of class and mass organisations and progressive individuals from Delhi attended the programme in large numbers at the Gandhi Peace Foundation in New Delhi. The hall was jam-packed.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) leaders Rakesh Tikait, Darshan Pal, Yogendra Yadav, CITU general secretary, Tapan Sen, and AIAWU general secretary, B Venkat, addressed the seminar which was presided over by SKM leader and AIKS general secretary, Hannan Mollah. Professor Archana Prasad from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) introduced the book. The author of the book Ashok Dhawale also addressed the gathering.

AIKS joint secretary, Vijoo Krishnan made the welcome speech. AIKS finance secretary, P Krishna Prasad proposed the vote of thanks. The programme began by paying homage to the 715 martyrs of the farmers' movement. Jana Natya Manch presented a set of vibrant songs extending solidarity to the peoples’ movement.

FARMERS STRUGGLE TO CONTINUE

As analysed in the book, the SKM leadership unanimously opined that while the battle against the draconian farm laws was won by the farmers after a bitter year-long struggle, the war against the corporate-led loot of farmers, nourished by the BJP regime would be ferociously fought in the coming days. SKM leaders with one voice said farmers would further strengthen the war against the BJP regime to enact the Minimum Support Price (MSP) law since the Modi regime had refused to fulfil its promise of making this law.

While reflecting on the trajectory of the farmers’ struggle, SKM leader Darshan Pal said that the victory of the farmers’ struggle punctured the widely held belief that the Modi regime was invincible. The struggle originated when the fascistic forces were advancing their pro-imperialist and pro-corporate agenda in a systematic fashion. “We were determined on a Ghar Wapsi only after the three draconian farm laws were repealed, or else the farmers were prepared to die at the gates of Delhi.” Darshan Pal called for an even more determined struggle all over the country to oust the BJP regime in 2024. 

GOVT PROTECTING INTERESTS OF CORPORATES

Rakesh Tikait, senior SKM leader, lashed out at the pro-corporate economic policies carried forward by the BJP government. He specifically pointed to the case of Bihar, where APMCs were shut down 16 years ago. Dismantling of the APMCs had left the farmers of Bihar indebted and landless and it helped private players to enrich their pockets. Tikait said that the Modi regime is trying to implement this failed project in other states where APMCs are functioning properly. He reiterated that the union government is working to protect the interests of big corporate houses like Adani and Ambani at the cost of the farmers and the people. That is why it must be defeated at any cost. 

Praising the AIKS's role in the year-long victorious kisan movement, SKM leader, Yogendra Yadav pointed out that a successful movement required a committed ideology, discipline, brains, backbone and muscle power – all of which the AIKS had displayed during this struggle in ample measure. Since 2017 after the formation of AIKSCC, and later the SKM, the AIKS had played a stellar role. He said that the SKM would further strengthen the farmers’ struggle for an MSP law and other demands, to defeat the BJP regime.  

In his speech CITU general secretary, Tapan Sen reiterated the need for worker-peasant unity to fight the onslaught of neoliberalism. He narrated how three decades of neo-liberal policies had negatively affected the producing classes while domestic and foreign monopolies benefited from them. Even if the farm laws were withdrawn, the Modi regime was pushing several anti-farmer and anti-worker bills like the Electricity Amendment Bill 2022 and the Labour Codes. After 75 years of independence, the Modi regime is trying to sell off India to the Adanis, Ambanis and other domestic and foreign corporates. This would be fought tooth and nail and defeated, he declared. 

B Venkat, AIAWU general secretary, depicted the role of the agricultural workers in making the movement more militant. He said that the predominantly dalit agricultural workers from Punjab fought shoulder to shoulder along with their farmer brothers. He also detailed how the Modi regime is attacking the livelihood of agricultural workers by starving MGNREGA of funds, and gradually dismantling the PDS. He said that the struggle of agricultural workers for the land, wages and houses would be strengthened all over the country, to lend greater strength to the people’s struggle against the Modi regime.

AIKS general secretary, Hannan Mollah narrated how the AIKS played a historic role in the anti-colonial struggle during British rule. The earlier peasant struggles were against imperialism and feudalism. While some aspects of that struggle still continued, the main struggle now is the one against domestic and foreign corporates and their government. He hailed the victory of the recent farmers’ struggle but warned that a bitter struggle against communalism, authoritarianism and neo-liberal policies lay ahead. He said that farmers were committed to fighting the anti-farmer Modi regime to the end. 

In her introduction to the book “When Farmers Stood Up”,  Archana Prasad said that the book analysed the historic kisan struggle as a significant victory against the corporates and also imperialist dictates. While explaining the several means adopted by the Union government to break the unity of the farmers and how the movement transcended them, she said that the massive unity achieved by the struggle was commendable. She also stressed the legendary role played by tens of thousands of women farmers in ensuring the victory of this struggle.

Ashok Dhawale, the author of the book “When Farmers Stood Up” said, “The historic farmers’ struggle battled the repression and the defamation of the BJP government, harsh weather conditions, and even the Covid-19 pandemic. Farmers stood firmly on the battlefield for over a year in a completely peaceful, democratic and secular struggle. The united struggle led by the SKM was fully supported throughout by the working class, agricultural workers, women, students and youth. It, therefore, became a people’s struggle that was concentrated at the Delhi borders but was spread all over the country. The role of women and youth in this struggle was exemplary. It was for all these reasons that it won against the BJP-RSS-led government of corporate authoritarian communalism. While strengthening the battle for their immediate issues, the farmers and workers in the country will fight communalism, social injustice, and the disastrous socio-economic policies, and will surely defeat the Modi-led BJP regime in 2024.”