Peasantry all over the country will rebuff Model Act for Contract farming
Plea to all peasant and agricultural worker organizations to oppose the proposal in the Union Budget and unite on struggle path
The AIKS strongly criticize the BJP led NDA Government for its pro Imperialist globalization step to circulate a Model Act for contract farming to all state governments for adoption. The Government, instead of protecting the agriculture wants to convert peasants as agents of multinational corporate forces who will face cut throat competition without any protection in the domestic market.
The Para 30 of Budget speech by Finance Minister Arun Jaitly contains the most dangerous proposal of market reforms detrimental to the peasantry. The government openly proposes to circulate a model law of contract farming to all state governments for adoption. The proposal has been put forward with the stated intention of facilitating integration of fruits and vegetable farmers with the agro processing industries. The arguments in favour are realization of better price and avoiding the danger of post harvesting wastage of products. The proposal of Jaitly as it is going to benefit the peasantry is like feeding poison varnished with sugar. The contract farming Act will facilitate Multinational and Transnational corporate companies establishing their dominance over Indian agriculture sector. It will never help to save the peasants from present debt trap and suicide tendencies.
The AIKS request all political parties and Members of Parliament to oppose and stop this reactionary move by Modi Government which is against the interests of agriculture and the country. Converting Indian farmers as the contract agents of Multinational companies could not be claimed as an act of nationalism. The Bharathiya Kisan Morcha and various Sangh Pariwar Organisations are bound to explain their position on Contract Farming Model Act as proposed by the Modi raj.
In the previous budget there was proposal for establishing Electronic Market Platform to link all Agriculture Produce Market Committees in the name of avoiding middlemen and realizing better price for farmers produces. The budget proposes to extend that from 250 to 585 markets in this year. In the name of assisting farmers, the Government of India actually intends to help corporate agri-business and agro-processing companies by facilitating direct procurement of agro produces without middle men.
When the Government is not willing to declare 50% above cost of production as the minimum support price for all agriculture crops, then the contract farming and E Marketing will only help corporate agro-processing and trading companies to further exploit the farmers.
In the context of the systematic efforts to weaken and eliminate the Public Distribution System, the intention of Modi Raj is to shed both the important responsibilities of procurement on MSP rate from peasantry and distribution of essential goods to people through PDS.
The direction of Modi Government
BJP was able to form a Government with absolute majority since independence only in May 2014. In 2014-15, the BJP led Government tried hard in vain to impose a law to forcefully acquire the agriculture land without the consent of the farmers. It has no intention to ensure land reform and land to landless by eliminating land lords. In 2015-16, they have opened the doors of the country to facilitate 100% Foreign Direct Investment in agriculture and retail marketing. In 2016-17, the E-Marketing reform has been introduced to support large scale agro processing companies to facilitate direct procurement of agro products avoiding middlemen. Now in 2017-18 Budgets it has announced the Model Contract Farming Act, first in the history of our country that will transform the farmers as the agents of monopoly agro processing companies. The mainstream media did not discuss any of these serious developments.
Such consistent proposals by the Modi Government elucidate the direction towards which the BJP is leading the country and its people. The BJP and the Modi government expose themselves as committed agents of corporate forces and also as enemies of the peasantry. The ruling classes of India through this Budget states categorically that they prefer the profit they could earn by joining hands with international finance capital than protecting the interests of the people and the country.
The need of the hour is unity and extensive struggles
The Kisan Sabha was in the forefront to expose the anti-farmer policies of the Modi Government in its beginning and worked together with many left and democratic peasant and agriculture worker organizations at all India level and developed united struggles that forced the Government to withdraw the infamous Land Acquisition Ordinance. The united platform of the peasantry at all India level, namely the Bhoomi Adhikar Andolan –BAA- has been emerged through this process.
National level meeting to plan future struggles sought
AIKS appeals to all Left and Democratic minded peasant, agriculture worker and social organizations all over the country to express their opinion on this grave issue and join hands to build unity and extensive struggles. AIKS also appeals to the members of Bhoomi Adikar Andolan to take initiative to have a national meeting to discuss about the issue and make concrete plan for countrywide struggles on agrarian crisis.
Sd/-
Amra Ram, President
Hannan Mollah, General Secretary
New Delhi, 21st March, 2017
