Ongole: Fulfil promises or face defeat
Ongole: The members of various farmers and farm workers organisations under Samyukta Kisan Morcha staged a protest, titled 'Day of Betrayal' at the district Collectorate in Ongole on Monday. The protestors warned the Union government to fulfil the promises made to the farmers to stop the agitation at Delhi, or prepare for losing power in States, one by one.
Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham district secretary Vadde Hanumareddy presided over the protest, while its district president P Hanumantha Rao, Rythu Coolie Sangham district secretary S Lalitha Kumari, Akhila Bharata Rythu Coolie Sangham leader Koduri Nancharlu, All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee district convener Chunduri Rangarao, Vyavasaya Karmika Sangham leader Jala Anjaiah and others said that the long agitation by the farmers against the farm laws was suspended based on the promises and assurances given to them by the Central government.
They said that the promises include immediate withdrawal of all cases registered against the farmers during the agitation, providing compensation to the families of farmers martyred in the agitation, formation of a committee to ensure the farmers of the country get minimum support price (MSP) and assuring justice to the victims in the massacre of Lakhimpur Kheri.
The farmers' leaders announced that the Union government made sure the farmers stop the agitation before the elections, betrayed them by not working on the promises and assurances given in writing, and is still moving ahead with the anti-farmer agenda. The leaders said that the cases were not withdrawn on the farmers, no compensation was paid to the martyr farmers' families, no committee discussed the legal assurance to provide MSP to the farmers, and no action was taken against Union Minister Ajay Mishra Teni even though the SIT affirmed the Lakhimpur Kheri incident was a pre-planned conspiracy.
The leaders opined that the Union government is acting in favour of the corporate companies and neglecting the interests of the farmers. They said that it is time the Union government should decide to enjoy the power by stopping anti-farmer and anti-public decisions or prepare to sit in the Opposition.
AITUC district president PVR Chowdary, CITU district leader Ch Srinivasa Rao, trade union leaders Sai, P Kalpana, SD Sardar, Prakasa Rao, Balakotaiah and others also participated in the protest.