Kisan Mukti Yatra Gets Rousing Reception in Bengal

• Accuses Prime Minister and Bengal Chief Minister of Betraying Farmers
• Demands that TMC Govt Procure Paddy at Rs.2,300/Quintal like under Kerala LDF Govt
• Demands Liberation from Debt for all Kisans in Bengal

The Eastern leg of the Kisan Mukti Yatra began from Bhangor in Bengal on 28th October, 2017 by paying tributes to martyrs Mofizul Khan and Alamgir Mollah, killed in Police firing while protesting against forcible land acquisition for power grid. The Yatra reached Jhargram District (part of erstwhile Paschim Midnapore District) on 29th October, 2017 to a massive reception by peasants, agricultural workers, Adivasis and Dalits with different organisations representing them present in solidarity. Hundreds of representatives Bengal Platform of Mass Organisations consisting of 118 organisations which is on a State-wide Padayatra covering more than 40,000 Villages in the State against Communal BJP-RSS, corrupt and anti-people TMC as well as the Narendra Modi-led BJP Government and against Neo-Liberal Economic Policies also came in a show of solidarity. The Public Meeting at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Chowk saw enthusiastic participation and began with cultural programmes and revolutionary songs.

Addressing the meeting Vijoo Krishnan, Joint Secretary of All India Kisan Sabha paid tributes to the hundreds of martyrs in the District killed by TMC-Maoist goons and said that the struggle of the people of Jhargram under extreme repression is an inspiration for all. He attacked the corrupt TMC Government citing how even mythological figures Narada and Sarada in Bengal have become synonymous with corruption. Abhishek Banerji is competing with Jay Shah for unprecedented increase in wealth which needs to be investigated. He pointed out that while the MSP of Paddy was Rs.1,550/Quintal, in Bengal farmers were not getting even Rs.900/Quintal and there was no government procurement. In contrast to this the Left Democratic Front Government in Kerala procures paddy for a record Rs.2,300/Quintal. Tripura Left Front Government was providing up to 92 days of work under MGNREGA but the BJP Government is not allocating funds. In Bengal MGNREGA is functioning dismally under the TMC Government. Even the Adivasis in Bengal have not got Forest Rights despite more than a decade after the Forest rights Act. Food security was compromised and for the first time farmers in Bengal were forced to commit suicide as they are not getting proper price for Paddy, Jute, Potato and other crops. After coming to power in the name of Maa, Maati and Maanush TMC was looting the resources and unleashing untold repression on the people. He pointed to the victories of the peasantry in Rajasthan and Maharashtra and also the resistance built against land acquisition under the Bhoomi Adhikar Andolan banner. The united resistance built will defeat the conspiracy of BJP and TMC to divide the people and emerge victorious he said.

Dr.Sunilam, NAPM explained the formation of the AIKSCC after the killing of 6 farmers in Mandsaur and how more than 180 organisations across the country had come together to demand liberation from debts and remunerative MSP according to the Swaminathan Commission recommendations i.e. at least 50 percent above the cost of production. He congratulated the people for defying the atmosphere of terror in the region under TMC rule and attending the programme in large numbers. Lambasting the Narendra Modi-led BJP Government he said it was the most anti-farmer Government ever in India and the Prime Minister has betrayed the farmers by making fake promises. He specifically pointed out the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana in which thousands of crores have gone to private insurance companies while the farmers did not get compensated for their losses. The BJP Government has allowed corporates to loot Jal, Jungle and Zameen as well as Mineral resources and encouraged land grab he said and called for overthrowing the Modani Model of loot. He also exposed the untold suffering imposed on the people in the name of demonetisation and GST while the corporates are being given huge concessions. He hit out against the TMC Government for killing three farmers in Bhangor for protesting against forcible land acquisition and shamelessly not even giving any compensation to the families of the victims. This he said was the situation even as she was misleading the country that no land would be acquired without consent of the people.

Chandrashekhar, leader of All India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha who spoke on the occasion called upon people to unite against the communal forces and Neo-Liberal Economic policies. He said that the unity built in the form of the AIKSCC was unprecedented and will defeat the anti-people policies of the BJP led Central Government. He called upon all sections to take part in the Kisan Sansad at Delhi from 20th November, 2017 in large numbers.

Amiya Patra, Secretary, Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Union (AIAWU), Pulin Behari Baskey (Ex-MP and Secretary of Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch), Tapan Batabyal (All India Kisan Maha Sabha), Santosh Rana AIKS (B.B.Ganguly Street), Dhenga Hansda (All India Samyukt Kisan Sabha), Bablu Banerji (Paschim Banga Khet Majur, Sanghati Samiti), Sukhchand Soren (All India Krantikari Kisan Sabha), Ashok Rana (Sramik Krishak Union), Panchanan Pradhan (All India Kisan Khet Mazdoor Sanghatan) and Ashok Banerji (All India Agragami Kisan Sabha) addressed the meeting. Dibakar Hansda, District Secretary of AIKS presided over the meeting.

Earlier a massive meeting was held in Kolkata in which Hannan Mollah, General Secretary, AIKS, V.M.Singh, Convenor, AIKSCC, Raju Shetti, M.P, Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatan, Yogendra Yadaw, Jai Kisan Andolan, Rajaram Singh, AIKMS, Prabodh Panda, AIKS (Ajay Bhavan), Madan Ghosh, Vice President AIKS, Amal Haldar and Nripen Choudhary, Joint Secretaries, AIKS, Prem Singh, AIKMS and others spoke.

The Kisan Mukti Yatra will leave tomorrow to Bhubaneswar and proceed from there to Jharkhand and Bihar.