State conference of Sanyukta Kisan Morcha in Raipur on 20th, 20 organizations will participate

Raipur :

• The state conference of Sanyukta Kisan Morcha is going to be held on 20th September in Vrindavan Hall, Raipur. Representatives of more than 20 organizations working among farmers, tribals, Dalits and displacement victims in Chhattisgarh will participate in this conference. Rakesh Tikait of Bharatiya Kisan Union, Badal Saroj of All India Kisan Sabha, Dr. Sunilam of Kisan Sangharsh Samiti and Satyawan of Kisan and Khet Mazdoor Sabha are also reaching Raipur to participate in the conference.

In a press release issued by the coordination committee of the Morcha, it has been said that the farmers organizations are protesting against the anti-agriculture and pro-corporate policies of the Narendra Modi-led BJP central government and the insensitive policies of the Congress government in the state towards the problems of the agriculture community. A decision will be taken to intensify the struggle together with workers organisations. In this regard, a demand charter will also be formulated to strengthen the United Farmers Movement.

Samyukta Kisan Morcha has said that the agricultural crisis in Chhattisgarh is so dire that on an average 40-45 suicides are taking place every year among every lakh farmer families. Here every farmer family is in debt of an average of Rs 97000. The fight to save the Hasdeo forests and stop the displacement of tribals has been going on for the last decade. Similarly, the land displaced due to coal mining are fighting a big battle for employment, rehabilitation and basic human facilities. By converting the Gram Sabha's "consent" into "consultation" for development projects, the state government has rendered the PESA Act ineffective. The Forest Rights Act is not being implemented, the forest rights are being snatched away and the poor are being evicted from their land in the name of Gothan. The tribals who are opposing the handing over of natural resources to corporates are becoming victims of state sponsored repression. All these issues will be discussed in the conference and programs for joint struggle will be finalized.

(Issued by Sanjay Parate on behalf of the coordination committee of Sanyukta Kisan Morcha, Chhattisgarh)