A heartening protest was held over 16 districts of Punjab highlighting the general demands of agricultural labourers by organizations of landless labour .
The same demands raised in the assembly in Chandigarh earlier in March this year were raised.
There was maximum participation in town of Bathinda and Sangrur.
Also good participation in Jalandhar and Muktsar
Landless labourers assembled outside the district administration offices.
What was remarkable was that thousands of women even participated.
In Bathinda around 700 assembled while in Sangrur around 900.
Overall over 10000 people participated all over the state.
It is significant that so many organization s belonging to different trends within the movement united .
The most important issues were the awarding of plots, receiving minimum wage of rs 500 daily,f0r 10 marlas of land to every dalit,for 1/3rd right in panchayat and for employment round the year.
The particpants displayed resolute determination and created the seedlings for a spark turning into a priarie fire.
The wrath was written on their faces against the govt and upper caste apathy .
The leaders of the protest spoke very positively about the enthusiasm of the participants who blazed the spirit of vengeance.Significant that on the 1st day police obstructed labourers from participating by rounding some of them up and only after resistance were they released and allowed to participate..
This exposes the nefarious, anti-people nature of the administration and how it tramples on democratic resistance and activists.
On 8th August the chief minister would address the demands.
The movement for fighting for plots initiated earlier by Punjab Khet Mazdur union and now for the 1/3rd panchyat right for dalits by the Zameen Prapt Sangharsh commitee and Pendu Mazdur union in Sangrur throw great light on the burning dalit resistance.
Some very significant work is also done by the Krantikari Pendu Mazdur union in thwarting of goondaism in Namol village in Sangrur.Although quantitatively small it has done some very good work qualitatively mobilizing hundreds of villagers against politicians.
Tribune News Service
Bathinda, August 1 Various labour unions today commenced a three-day protest against the ‘anti-labourer’ policies of the SAD-BJP government at Children Park.
Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, Dihati Mazdoor Sabha, Mazdoor Mukti Morcha, Punjab Khet Mazdoor Sabha, Kul Hind Khet Mazdoor, Pendu Mazdoor Union Missal and Krantikari Pendu Mazdoor Union took part in the protest.
Labour unions alleged that on the directions of party leaders, the government is distributing the compensation of the damaged cotton to their acquaintances and close aides to lure the voters.
They said if the Punjab Government did not provide residential plots to the people, then slums would flourish in the villages as well.
They demanded employment for family members of a labourer at the rate of Rs 500 per day under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act (MNREGA). They also demanded to check irregularities in MNREGA.
They announced that the Mazdoor Morcha would fight a tough battle against the atrocities of the police taking place in the state.
Keeping in view of the protest, a huge police force was deployed around the District Administrative Complex and the main road near the DC office was barricaded.
Even a few protesters, who reached near the District Administrative Complex instead of the protest venue, were rounded up by the police and were later let off.
The labour unions also paid tribute to state committee member Narinder Soma, a resident of Sardulgarh, for two minutes.
The protest of the farmers was headed by Zora Singh. Mahipal, Surjit Singh Sohi, Gurbachan Singh, Darbara Singh, Harvinder Sharma, Kulwant, Sewak Singh, Mithu Singh, Prithpal Singh, Jeeta Singh, Harbans, Jaswant Singh, Tirth Singh, Makhan Singh, Kuku Singh, Darshan Singh, Gurmeet Singh and others were present in the protest.
Against government Labour unions alleged that on the directions of party leaders, the government is distributing the compensation for the damaged cotton to their acquaintances and close aides to lure the voters They said if the Punjab Government did not provide residential plots to the people, then slums would flourish in thevillages as well A few protesters, who reached near the DC office instead of the protest venue, were rounded up by the police and were later let off
Bathinda, August 3 Members of the various labour unions today concluded their three-day protest at Children’s Park.
Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, Dihati Mazdoor Sabha, Mazdoor Mukti Morcha, Punjab Khet Mazdoor Sabha, Kul Hind Khet Mazdoor, Pendu Mazdoor Union Missal and Krantikari Pendu Mazdoor Union took part in the three-day protest.
Labour unions said on the directions of party leaders, the government has been distributing the compensation of the damaged cotton crop to their acquaintances and close aides to lure the voters.
Union members who have been demanding residential plots to labourers said if the Punjab Government did not provide residential plots to the labourers, then slums would flourish in the villages as well.
They demanded employment for family members of a labourer at the rate of Rs 500 per day under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) and to check irregularities in MNREGA.
Zora Singh, Mahipal, Surjit Singh Sohi, Gurbachan Singh, Darbara Singh, Harvinder Sharma, Kulwant, Sewak Singh, Mithu Singh, Prithpal Singh, Jeeta Singh, Harbans, Jaswant Singh, Tirth Singh, Makhan Singh, Kuku Singh, Darshan Singh, Gurmeet Singh and other leaders were present in the protest.
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We have been demanding a fair distribution of the compensation for the damaged cotton crop as the government has not given any attention to the issue. Earlier, the compensation had been distributed to non-deserving ones and many deserving farmers were actually deprived of it.
The state government is responsible for the suicide of labourers and farmers. Last time, the government had purchased duplicate pesticide that had failed to curb whitefly and led to loss to farm labourers who did not get work for the entire cotton season,” said one of the leaders.
