Convention held to mobilise support for farmers’ agitation 

Ludhiana: A large number of intellectuals, social activists, retired bureaucrats and other well-wishers of the downtrodden held a convention in Guru Nanak Bhawan, Ludhiana today to mobilise support for the farmers’ agitation from those quarters that are not sufficiently represented at the movement. Agricultural labourers, workers from the unorganised sector and other manual workers, whether skilled or not, are under serious attack from the forces advocating liberal agenda and pushing most of the economic activities to the market place. The purpose of the convention is also to highlight the abolition of 44 labour protection laws and bringing 4 labour codes in their place.

The convention feels that if farmers are under attack, and are living under the fear of loss of their lands after the promulgation of three “black laws” by the Modi government, the danger of starvation deaths to Dalits, OBCs and other working people can hardly be underestimated. In fact, both rural and urban working people will be the first to feel the pinch of deprivation and starvation if the three black laws are not repealed. Government is no more ready to buy food stuff for the 81 crores people who have been promised subsidised food under the Food Security Act, 2013. They have also lost their right to protest in more than one way ever since the labour laws are repealed. It is clear that the government has decided to give red-carpet welcome to corporate lobby at the cost of the labour welfare schemes. In the backdrop of Covid-19 and consequent economic recession there was an urgent need to enhance budget for MGNREGA but it has been cut by 34.5% compared to the revised budget of the previous year.

No wonder that the Farmers’ agitation progressed to Jan Andolan effortlessly as the pending disastrous consequences for the poor in general and working people in particular are as evident as day light. Promulgation of three “black agricultural laws” and four “black labour codes” is a clear instance of the ill designs of the government that seems to be bent upon killing the spirit of the constitution, particularly targeting the social welfare schemes.

The Convention therefore raised the following demands:
*That all the three black agricultural laws be repealed and purchase at MSP be guaranteed.
*All the four “black labour codes” be revisited and the hard earned labour welfare and protective rights be restored
*Any further amendments in the laws/ constitution should not be carried out without the proper consultation of affected sections of society. In no case any change be made to preamble of the constitution, fundamental rights of the people and directive principle for the state.

The convention further decides that if our voices go unheard we would further intensify our struggle by mobilising larger sections of people in order to register voices of dissent./(February 21, 2021)