New Delhi: Scores of social activists, farmers and workers flocked the capital on Wednesday to take out a protest march against the Narendra Modi-led government with a slew of demands ranging from loan waiver, a minimum wage of Rs 18,000 a month and remunerative prices for farm produce as per the Swaminathan Committee recommendations.
Venting anger against the centre for what they called the failure to provide aid to the poor farmers, Secretary General of the Communist Party of India, Sitaram Yechury said, “If the government again failed to take any required measure to provide support to the poor farmers, casual labourers across India, we will launch much bigger protest next week along with the other opposition political outfits.”
“It is very unfortunate that the people working in the agricultural sector which is the backbone of the Indian economy are reeling under poverty, ” Yechury added while speaking to ANI.
The Communist leader, without mentioning any name, accused that the government of allowing businessmen to flee from the country after looting national banks, adding that it is now not ready to uplift the poor farmers, casual workers living in India.
Echoing Yechury’s contention, a protester demanded that immediate actions should be taken to provide relief to the poor who are working in the agriculture sector. “This government launched so many massive programmes across India after coming to power in 2014. But, at grass root level they did not provide any support to farmers, casual workers,” he said.
This protest march was collectively launched by All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), All India Agriculture Workers Union (AIAWU) and Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) from Ramlila Maidan to Parliament Street under the name ‘Majdoor Kisan Sangharsh Rally’.
The protesters have put forth a total of fifteen points that include loan waivers of all India farmers, land to landless, implementation of Forest Rights Act, improving the working conditions of MGNREGA workers.
[source_without_link]ANI[/source_without_link]