Friday, April 3, 2015

India : Copies of the land-grab ordinance to be burnt in protest across India on April 6, 2015






New Delhi, April 2: In continuation of the joint movement against the draconian Land Acquisition Bill-2015, the core groups involved with the organisation of the massive protest demonstration at Parliament Street on 24th February, 2015 met in Delhi on 2nd April, 2015 to discuss the way forward.

The Strategy Meeting decided to launch united protests with massive participation in all States. Various protest actions have been planned by different unions and people’s organisations in their respective areas and at the State-level to amplify protest against the Bill/Ordinance. All people’s organisations and unions protesting against the ordinance will undertake a signature campaign against the ordinance aiming to collect 5 crore signatures. A Massive Bhoo Adhikar Sangharsh Rally will be held on 5th May, 2015 at Delhi.

A Meeting with political parties was also held in which Jairam Ramesh (Indian National Congress), Sitaram Yechury (Communist Party of India (Marxist), D.Raja (Communist Party of India), K.C.Tyagi (Janata Dal-United), Debabrata Biswas (All India Forward Bloc), Abani Roy (Revolutionary Socialist Party), Danish Ali (Janata Dal-Secular), Manoj Jha (Rashtriya Janata Dal), Kavita Krishnan (Communist Party of India (ML) Liberation) and Satyavan (SUCI(C)) expressed solidarity with the struggle against the Land Acquisition Amendment Bill/Ordinance. They said we will not allow this Bill to be passed in the Rajya Sabha, we will struggle inside the Parliament and join hands with movements struggle outside on the street, together we can defeat this design of NDA government.

A comprehensive strategy with the immediate aim of mounting a robust opposition against the new Land Acquisition Bill as well as to move towards the long term objective of achieving land rights for all was arrived at. Farmers’ unions, people’s movements and political parties from across the country have come together to form a strong opposition force against this historic challenge, and pressure is mounting on the current government from both inside and outside the Parliament.

Medha Patkar (NAPM), Hannan Mollah (AIKS, 36 Canning Lane), Ragib Asim (AIKS, Ajay Bhavan), Dr.Sunilam (Kisan Sangharsh Samiti), Suneet Chopra (AIAWU), Ashok Choudhary and Roma (AIUFWP), Dayamani Barla, Virendra Vidrohi (INSAF), Rakesh Rafiq (Yuva Kranti), Ulka Mahajan (Sarvahara Jan Andolan), Smita Gupta (Adivasi Adhikar Rashtriya Manch) and others representing various mass organisations and people’s movements spoke on the occasion and stressed the need for united struggles until victory.

A Resolution was passed demanding that the widespread crop loss due to unseasonal rains and the floods in Jammu and Kashmir be declared as a National calamity and made specific demands (Resolution attached). Another Resolution expressing solidarity with the indigenous People in Australia who have risen in protest against the move of Adani to take-over their land for coal mining.
Decisions:
  • The collective Movement will be known as Bhoomi Adhikar Sangharsh Andolan/ Movement for Land Rights.
  • Land Acquisition Ordinance once promulgated, as decided by NDA government, will be burnt across the country on 6th April.
  • Bhoomi Adhikaar Sangharsh Rally in Delhi on Parliament Street on 5th May, 2015.
    State-Level Conventions, Mass Mobilisation, Padayatras, Rail Roko, Rasta Roko and Human Chains in all States and Districts.
  • 5 crore signatures will be collected across the country.
  • Zameen Wapsi campaign to be undertaken across the country by movements.
  • State Level mobilisation against the Land Ordinance : April 9 : Vijaywada, Bhubaneshwar – April 10th, Patna 11th April
All India Kisan Sabha (36 Canning Lane),
All India Kisan Sabha (Ajay Bhavan)
National Alliance of People’s Movement
All India Union for Forest Working People
Kisan Sangharsh Samiti
INSAF
All India Agricultural Workers’ Union (36, Canning Lane)
Bharatiya Khet Mazdoor Union (Ajay Bhavan)
All India Krishak Khet Mazdoor Sanghatan
Bharatiya Kisan Union (Harpal Singh)
Delhi Solidarity Group
Yuva Kranti
Sarvahara Jan Andolan And many other Organisations
Contact : 9818905316, 9958797409, 9911528696, 9818864006

 

RESOLUTION

Farmers Suffer Unprecedented Crop Loss; Declare It A National Calamity
 
Unseasonal rains and hailstorm across the country has led to unprecedented losses and rural India is in acute distress. The peasantry across the country are in acute distress and a spurt in farm suicides in many States is being reported even as the Government continues to be in a denial mode.

The Agriculture Ministry’s conservative estimates initially reported that crops were destroyed in about 1.81 crore hectares of land across 13 States. The trail of destruction is unprecedented when one considers the fact that the total area under rabi cultivation is around 6 crore hectares. In effect around one-third of the total area under rabi cultivation has been affected.

Two days after the Agriculture Minister reported that crops were damaged in 1.81 crore hectares, the Central Government has reduced 75 lakh hectares and presented a “revised” data charging the States with over-estimation and deliberate over-reporting. What greater insensitivity can be displayed in times of such a national calamity? The magnitude of the crisis is far beyond whatever the Government is claiming as it does not take into account many States.

The reality is that the Government figures do not include crop losses in States like Bihar, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Kerala, Odisha, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Assam and other North-Eastern States due to the unseasonal rains which are continuing and expected to continue till early April. Jammu and Kashmir has been hit by another round of floods with widespread destruction and loss of lives. The BJP Government is clearly downplaying the magnitude of the destruction.

This Meeting of Peasants, Agricultural Workers, Mass Organisations, Trade Unions and People’s Movements demands:
  • The Central Government must immediately declare the unprecedented crop loss across the country and floods in Jammu and Kashmir a National Calamity and announce a Relief Package taking full responsibility.
  • A Special Session of Parliament, State Chief Ministers Meet, Meeting of Peasant and Agricultural Workers’ Organisations must be convened to discuss the Emergency situation.
  • Joint Monitoring Group must be formed to monitor the Relief and Rehabilitation.
  • Waive All Loans of the Peasantry and ensure Crop Insurance Payment taking account of losses in each field.
  • Provide time-bound Compensation for Peasants and Share-Croppers covering Cost of Production, Yield and Income Loss (Not less than Twice the Cost of Production).
  • Provide Compensation for Agricultural Workers equivalent to the prevalent Minimum Wages for 3 Months.
    Ensure employment under MGNREGA and supply free food grains to all affected families for the next 3 months.
  • Provide Inputs for the next season Free of Cost making Input providers and Insurance Companies contribute to a Special Corpus Fund.
  • Waive Electricity Bills of Farmers, Share-croppers and Agricultural Workers
All India Kisan Sabha (36 Canning Lane),
All India Kisan Sabha (Ajay Bhavan)
National Alliance of People’s Movement
All India Union for Forest Working People
Kisan Sangharsh Samiti
INSAF
All India Agricultural Workers’ Union (36, Canning Lane)
Bharatiya Khet Mazdoor Union (Ajay Bhavan)
All India Krishak Khet Mazdoor Sanghatan
Bharatiya Kisan Union (Harpal Singh)
Delhi Solidarity Group
Yuva Kranti
Sarvahara Jan Andolan And many other Organisations
Contact : 9818905316, 9958797409, 9911528696, 9818864006

SOURCE:
http://www.indiaresists.com/copies-of-the-land-grab-ordinance-to-be-burnt-in-protest-across-india-on-april-6-2015/

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