November 26 marks the third anniversary of the protests by farmers on the borders of Delhi. On this occasion, various workers and farmers organizations of the country will organize a three-day Mahapadav across the country to achieve their common demands. To prepare for this, state level conventions of workers’ and farmers’ organizations are being organized in different states. In this context, a convention was held on October 26, 2023, in Delhi and NCR. Workers from different sectors of the economy participated in this convention and farmers and their leaders associated with many farmer organizations also participated.
This convention was organized in Delhi and NCR. It was done jointly by trade unions and farmer organizations, which included – CITU, AITUC, HMS, INTUC, ACTU, Mazdoor Ekta Committee, UTUC, AIUTUC, SEWA and ICTU, United Kisan Morcha, All India Kisan Mahasabha, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Tikait).
Addressing the gathering, the speakers said that privatization is being implemented vigorously across the country. Government institutions which provide permanent employment to people are being handed over to the capitalists at throwaway prices. The workers of Delhi do not get the declared minimum wage, they have to work for 12 hours for Rs 10-15 thousand. Inflation is at its peak and in comparison to this, the wages of workers are very low. Due to inflation, people’s life has become miserable. Unemployment is increasing day by day.
They said that the government has abolished the rights won by the workers through long struggle by implementing four labor codes. Demand was made that all four codes should be cancelled. The law of fixed term employment should be withdrawn. Equality and safety at work should be ensured. Contractualization should be stopped.
Speakers said that MSP for all crops should be implemented, guarantee should be given that farmers will get MSP for their crops. the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission should be implemented and the son of the Union Minister who crushed the farmers with his car in Lakhimpur Kheri should be immediately punished and Ajay Mishra Teni should immediately resign from the post of minister.
The speakers called upon us to intensify our struggle to achieve our rights.
Speakers who addressed the gathering included – Tapan Sen of CITU, Suprabhat Damle of AITUC, Harbhajan Singh Sidhu of HMS, Santosh Kumar of Mazdoor Ekta Committee, Gangaram of INTUC, Krishna Prasad of United Kisan Morcha, Santosh Raiof AICCTU, Shatrujit of UTUC, Prem Singh Gehlawat of All India Kisan Mahasabha, Bhaskar of AIUTUC, Lata of Seva, Daljit Singh of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Tikait), Narendra from ICTU, Rupesh Verma of All India Kisan Sabha-Noida.
Comrade Santosh Kumar of the Mazdoor Ekta Committee emphasized that along with fighting for its own problems, the working class will also have to fight to take the state power into its own hands. He said that as long as this exploitative capitalist system remains intact, the rights of workers, farmers and toilers cannot be ensured. Therefore, we will have to fight for a system in which the power to take decisions will be in the hands of workers and farmers.
Sarva Hind Mazdoor Kisan Convention was held at Talkatora Stadium on August 24, 2023. In which it was decided that on 26, 27 and 28 November, joint fronts of workers and farmers will hold a grand protest in the capital of every state of the country to achieve their common demands. Under the same program, a grand march will be organized at the Lieutenant Governor’s office in Delhi on 26th and 27th November and a protest will be organized at Jantar Mantar on 28th November. It was decided in the Delhi convention that we will run a campaign to make this three-day Mahapadav successful.