By Harsh Thakor
HAIL THE SPECTACULAR CONFERENCE JOINTLY STAGED BY BHARATIYA KISAN UNION (UGRAHAN) AND PUNJAB KHET MAZDOOR UNION SHIMMERING THE FLAME OF REVOLUTIONARY DEMOCRATIC RESISTANCE TO EXTINGUISH THE NEO-FASCIST SOCIO-POLITICAL ORDER IN BATHINDA IN PUNJAB ON MAY 15TH.AN EXAMPLE TO THE WHOLE NATION AND A STEPPING STONE FOR BUILDING A GENUINE MOVEMENT TO EMANCIPATE THE ENTIRE PEASANTRY OF PUNJAB FROM THE YOKE OF SEMI-FEUDAL SLAVERY.IDEAL ILLUSTRATION OF PRACTICE OF MASSLINE NARRATING REVOLUTIONARY POLITICS IN THE VERY LANGUAGE OF THE PEOPLE.
A truly great conference was jointly staged by Bharatiya Kisan Union Ugrahan representing the landed peasantry and Punjab Khet Mazdur Union representing the agricultural labourers near I.T.I Chowk, in Bathinda city on Wednesday, May 15th, shimmering the flame of revolutionary democracy and exposing the -neo-fascist policies of the rulers. In genuine people's language in level with their political consciousness addressed the rally. Arguably one of the most encouraging and positive events in the revolutionary democratic history of Punab and
The conference urged the people to sharpen their day to day class struggles and the people's organizations and have no faith in the rotten parliamentary system. Around 10,000 attended the meet. An event of great qualitative success in exposing the fraudulent parliamentary democracy prevailing today and in encouraging people to tread path of revolutionary resistance. Example of mass line practice and arguably nowhere in Punjab or
uds
launched by a bank which issued false payment cheques to the peasantry, a series
of protests against debts and suicides of farmers, a 50 day protests in
Bathinda for demands of water supply ,protests of dalit agricultural labour for
right to plots and be awarded minimum wages and panchayat land played an
important role in the success of this event during the elections. The mutual
support of the landless agricultural labour to the struggles of the landed
peasantry and vice versa played a vital role.
The protesters, including farmers, farm labourers and family members of farm suicide victims, also took out a march. The leaders addressing the rally requested the people to launch protracted or consistent struggles on issues of debt waiver, farm suicides, drug abuse and unemployment. They accused the political rulers of dividing the people on religious lines and hoodwinking them for electoral victories instead of giving a genuine alternative to the people for solving their problems. They linked the peoples problems and issues with the neo-fascist economic and political agenda of the Narendra Modi led govt. in the Centre explaining who win in essence the ruling Congress was no different than blessing Hindutva. In a subtle manner some of the speakers touched upon the issue of the false nationalism of the BJP govt. which was morally supporting imperialist enslavement and diverting people with national anti-Pakistan jingoism. They portrayed the actual revolutionary alternative of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and explained how since 1947 all the rulers betrayed the great martyr from Nehru to Modi. Reference was also given to how Operation Greenhunt was an attack on the entire people ofIndia
In the front of the rally women participants displayed garlanded photos of their husband farmers who were suicide victims as a result of debt.
Inspiring speeches by Jhanda Singh Jethuke, Laxman Singh Sewewala, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Sukhdev Singh Khokri and Harbinder Bindu.
Harinder Bindu in depth exposed how women were literally enslaved by the imperialist culture. She gave vivid examples of women being exploited in advertisements and sold as commodities.
She tarred how peasant women refused to bow down to traditional slavery or captivity and were participating in many a struggle to oppose rapes, feudal exploitation and day to day class struggles with men, even playing a vanguard role.
Joginder Singh Ugrahan, state president of the BKU (Ugrahan), said, “All major political parties have let the farming community down for decades. These political parties and their leaders have played the politics of opportunism and always leveraged support to corporate houses. The agricultural sector is in dire straits today. Distressed farmers burdened under debt are forced to committing suicides while the owners of corporate houses and leaders of political parties are busy living lavish lives.”
He said, “We demand that government land must be distributed equally among farmers and interest on farm loan must be abolished. For the growth of the agriculture sector, investment from the government sector is a must. Besides, facilities of irrigation must be increased and adequate arrangements to meet the storage of farm produce must be made. There is a need for an agro-based industry, cheaper power, transportation, water and regular jobs. Privatization must be stopped.”
He felt that the rich farmers and politicians were getting richer day by day, the poor farmers were further pauperized and turning landless, while both farmers and agricultural labourers were compelled to commit suicide.
Laxman Singh Sewewala, Secretary of the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union (landless workers organization)stated that people had to play a major role in exposing the ruling class politicians and build up their own sustained struggles In detail hew explained how the parties will never solve their real problems and bang every nail ion the coffin to hoodwink them.
Sukhdev Singh Khokri ,secretary of the BKU(Ugrahan) narrated the influence of imperialist culture and how it was strangulating democracy.He elaborated how a genuine pro people culture should be created. In detail he summed up how the TV ,films and social media were literally reduced to stooges of the rotten ,dirty Imperialist culture having a profound influence on shaping the thought process of the broad masses. Jethuke summarised the victory of peasant struggles in regions like Chatewada on issue of debt and Halwala where a Special Economic zones construction was thwarted. He explained the futility of the Parliamentary system and how only revolutionary struggle could create the base for any social change.
Most touching moment witnessing the aftermath of the event with the vehicles carrying the participants reminiscent of thousands of blooming red roses on a journey like many contingents of an army battalion marching. They looked as though they were resurrected with a new spirit to rekindle the flame of revolution. I was most privileged to participate here being a most memorable experience. The unity of the landed Jat peasantry with the dalit agricultural labour community here had great significance to the long term interests of the agrarian revolution wedging the caste gap between them. The farmers and agricultural labourers had literally found anew road distinct from that offered by the ruling class parties and parliamentary system on the journey back home.
Cultural activists interspersed the speeches with songs and readings of great poetic depth reaching the core of the soul of the audience as though it was playing in their hearts
The protesters, including farmers, farm labourers and family members of farm suicide victims, also took out a march. The leaders addressing the rally requested the people to launch protracted or consistent struggles on issues of debt waiver, farm suicides, drug abuse and unemployment. They accused the political rulers of dividing the people on religious lines and hoodwinking them for electoral victories instead of giving a genuine alternative to the people for solving their problems. They linked the peoples problems and issues with the neo-fascist economic and political agenda of the Narendra Modi led govt. in the Centre explaining who win in essence the ruling Congress was no different than blessing Hindutva. In a subtle manner some of the speakers touched upon the issue of the false nationalism of the BJP govt. which was morally supporting imperialist enslavement and diverting people with national anti-Pakistan jingoism. They portrayed the actual revolutionary alternative of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and explained how since 1947 all the rulers betrayed the great martyr from Nehru to Modi. Reference was also given to how Operation Greenhunt was an attack on the entire people of
In the front of the rally women participants displayed garlanded photos of their husband farmers who were suicide victims as a result of debt.
Inspiring speeches by Jhanda Singh Jethuke, Laxman Singh Sewewala, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, Sukhdev Singh Khokri and Harbinder Bindu.
Harinder Bindu in depth exposed how women were literally enslaved by the imperialist culture. She gave vivid examples of women being exploited in advertisements and sold as commodities.
She tarred how peasant women refused to bow down to traditional slavery or captivity and were participating in many a struggle to oppose rapes, feudal exploitation and day to day class struggles with men, even playing a vanguard role.
Joginder Singh Ugrahan, state president of the BKU (Ugrahan), said, “All major political parties have let the farming community down for decades. These political parties and their leaders have played the politics of opportunism and always leveraged support to corporate houses. The agricultural sector is in dire straits today. Distressed farmers burdened under debt are forced to committing suicides while the owners of corporate houses and leaders of political parties are busy living lavish lives.”
He said, “We demand that government land must be distributed equally among farmers and interest on farm loan must be abolished. For the growth of the agriculture sector, investment from the government sector is a must. Besides, facilities of irrigation must be increased and adequate arrangements to meet the storage of farm produce must be made. There is a need for an agro-based industry, cheaper power, transportation, water and regular jobs. Privatization must be stopped.”
He felt that the rich farmers and politicians were getting richer day by day, the poor farmers were further pauperized and turning landless, while both farmers and agricultural labourers were compelled to commit suicide.
Laxman Singh Sewewala, Secretary of the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union (landless workers organization)stated that people had to play a major role in exposing the ruling class politicians and build up their own sustained struggles In detail hew explained how the parties will never solve their real problems and bang every nail ion the coffin to hoodwink them.
Sukhdev Singh Khokri ,secretary of the BKU(Ugrahan) narrated the influence of imperialist culture and how it was strangulating democracy.He elaborated how a genuine pro people culture should be created. In detail he summed up how the TV ,films and social media were literally reduced to stooges of the rotten ,dirty Imperialist culture having a profound influence on shaping the thought process of the broad masses. Jethuke summarised the victory of peasant struggles in regions like Chatewada on issue of debt and Halwala where a Special Economic zones construction was thwarted. He explained the futility of the Parliamentary system and how only revolutionary struggle could create the base for any social change.
Most touching moment witnessing the aftermath of the event with the vehicles carrying the participants reminiscent of thousands of blooming red roses on a journey like many contingents of an army battalion marching. They looked as though they were resurrected with a new spirit to rekindle the flame of revolution. I was most privileged to participate here being a most memorable experience. The unity of the landed Jat peasantry with the dalit agricultural labour community here had great significance to the long term interests of the agrarian revolution wedging the caste gap between them. The farmers and agricultural labourers had literally found anew road distinct from that offered by the ruling class parties and parliamentary system on the journey back home.
Cultural activists interspersed the speeches with songs and readings of great poetic depth reaching the core of the soul of the audience as though it was playing in their hearts
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