‘All farmer associations will join struggle for VSP’

Farm laws not only affecting farmers but other sections also, says Tikait

BKU leader Rakesh Singh Tikait and others blowing a conch as a symbol of protest against the farm bills and the Labour Codes enacted by the Centre, at the Karshaka Karmika Sankharavam in Vijayawada on Monday.

Karmika Karshaka Sankharavam, a meeting against the Farm Laws and Labour Code, decided to involve women in the agitation against the ‘black laws’ and vowed to wage a relentless fight until the laws were repealed.

Speakers at the meeting also extended their support to the ongoing agitation against the privatisation of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP).

The Sankharavam was organised by Andhra Pradesh Raithu Sanghala Samanvaya Committee and A.P. Samyukta Kisan Morcha here on Monday.

The speakers said that the 500 farmer associations across the country would extend their full support to the VSP agitation. The slogan — Visakha Ukku Andhrula Hakku (Visakha Steel is the right of Andhraites) will hereforth be known as ‘Visakha Steel, Citizens’ Right, they asserted.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Singh Tikait said that the farm laws were not only adversely affecting the farmers but impacting other sections as well. Corporate houses and private players would commercially exploit hunger as ultimately all food grains procured from farmers would end up in private warehouses.

The farmers’ agitation would be taken to all States in a bid to build more pressure on the ‘apathetic and adamant’ Union government. Tractors should play an important role in the agitation. Similarly, the women were requested to join the agitation, he said.

All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) national president Ashok Dhawale alleged that the Union government has “murdered democracy and the Parliamentary system” by taking advantage of its numerical strength in the Parliament. As many as four lakh farmers have ended their lives in the country after the BJP came to power at the Centre, he said.

“With the farm laws enacted by the Centre, 81 crore people would be deprived of ration facilities. India stands at 94th place in the hunger index. But the assets of the Ambanis and the Adanis have increased by 50%,” Mr. Dhawale claimed.

AIKS Punjab unit president Balkaran Singh, AIW president B. Venkat, Committee convener Vadde Sobhanadreeswara Rao, A.P. Rythu Sangham president Y. Kesava Rao, and A.P. Rythu Sangham president K.V.V. Prasad spoke.