The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) will hold a three-day march from April 26 to 28 to the office of Maharashtra Minister of Revenue, Animal Husbandry, and Dairy Development Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra for allegedly “not resolving the basic issues of the farmers, workers, and agricultural labourers,” according to a release from the sabha.
“The march will be taken to the Loni office of Maharashtra’s Revenue and Dairy Development Minister, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil,” according to the announcement. “If the demands are not met, a perpetual Mahapadav shall be held in Loni.”
According to the release, the AIKS is supported by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU), the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), and other like-minded mass organizations.
The farmers union stated that excessive and unseasonal rains ruined crops in wide portions of the state in the last two years, and the state government declared that compensation for agricultural losses would be granted, but no compensation was provided.
“Assurances were given repeatedly for vested forest land, temple land, reward land, waqf land, pasture land, and housing land to peasants and agricultural workers, many of whom have been tilling that land for several generations.”
Instead of granting them land, the police and forest department were deployed to beat up poor peasants and force them to leave their limited land and homes. According to the statement, “lands are being forcibly acquired for highways, corridors, ports, and airports with very little compensation.”
AIKS accused the state administration of failing to solve difficulties in the agriculture and dairy sectors, claiming that during the pandemic, milk peasants sold their milk for as little as Rs 17 per litre. After the epidemic, as the dairy sector recovers from its ravages, the government has initiated measures to import milk and dairy products, threatening their future once more.
Cotton, soyabean, tur, gramme, and other crop prices have plummeted. According to the farmers’ organization, the situation of unorganized workers such as Anganwadi, Asha, Mid-day meal scheme, construction workers, and domestic workers are increasingly dire, with little help from governments.
First published on: 23 Apr 2023, 23:36 IST
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