Ashok Dhawale, President, AIKS, addresses Kisans in Jaipur

The AIKS in Rajasthan had led a massive and historic struggle of road blockade from September 1 to 13, 2017, on the demands of peasant loan waiver, remunerative prices, pension to poor peasants and agricultural workers and so on. The BJP state government was forced to concede some of these demands as a result of this intense struggle. But as expected, in spite of nearly six months having passed, the BJP state government of Vasundhara Raje Scindia has betrayed its assurances given to the peasantry. To protest this betrayal, the Kisan Sabha gave a call for a massive statewide Kisan Mahapadav in Jaipur today February 22. In reply, the BJP Rajasthan government has unleashed shameless repression on Kisan Sabha leaders and the entire peasantry for the last three days. Former AIKS President Amra Ram, Pema Ram, Hetram Beniwal, Sheopat Ram and over 1000 other Kisan Sabha leaders have been arrested in various parts of Rajasthan. Peasants are being forcibly prevented from leaving their districts and are being stopped on the national highway outside Jaipur. AIKS President Dr Ashok Dhawale and AIKS Joint Secretary Vijoo Krishnan rushed to Jaipur today to express solidarity with the Rajasthan peasant struggle. In spite of all the state repression, thousands of farmers have gathered in Jaipur outside the Kisan Sabha office, where police have been posted in large numbers. The farmers were defiantly addressed by the above AIKS national leaders and by several state leaders of the AIKS, CITU, AIDWA, SFI, DYFI – Ravindra Shukla, Duli Chand, Gurcharan Singh Mour, Sanjay Madhav, Kusum Sainwal, Mahipal Charan, and leaders of other organisations. Dr Ashok Dhawale and Vijoo Krishnan also addressed a packed press conference where they denounced the state repression, demanded immediate release of Kisan Sabha leaders and stringent implementation of the demands agreed to on September 13. They also called for the defeat of the BJP in the coming assembly and for the victory of a left democratic alternative. AIKS national leaders will now go to address the thousands of peasants gathered on the national highway outside Jaipur and will then try to meet Amra Ram in the Jaipur Central Jail.