The All India Agricultural Labour Association and the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) staged a demonstration in front of Tamukkam ground on Monday demanding a slew of welfare measures for the agricultural labourers.
The demonstrators also took out a rally to the Collector’s office and submitted a petition to him. In the petition, they demanded that the number of working days under National Rural Employment Guarantee (NREGA) scheme should be increased to 180 days from the existing 100 days. The district administration should also make recommendations to hike the wages for the beneficiaries of the scheme to Rs 300, they insisted.
According to the members of the Agricultural Labour Association the government should waive all farmers loan and should give diesel aid. Uninterrupted power should be provided for agricultural activities, they urged.
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“Due to food scarcity, animals from Sirumalai forest range descend into agricultural land and farmers are forced to incur huge losses. Iron fencing should be erected around the forest area and the villagers should be allowed to insure their farm land”, the demonstrators told the Collector.
Besides tribal people should be given housing pattas, they said.
Meanwhile, women demonstrators took a pledge to make 2013, a year, where they would protest against violence meted out at women. Taking an oath in front of Tamukkam grounds, numerous women protestors said they mourn the death of the 23-year-old student. “We condemn the politicians and religious heads who made derogatory remarks against women. We will never forget the brutal gang rape which led to the death of the girl in Delhi and we will never forgive her assaulters”, the women said.
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C. Mathivanan, district secretary of CPI (ML) flagged off the rally.