Kashif Ahmad Faraz | India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI–Strengthening the farmers’ voice against new farm laws, several student, youth and women groups took out a protest march from Mandi House here on Wednesday.
Carrying posters, banners, and placards, the activists from AISA, SFI, AISF, DSF, NSUI, CYSS, AIPWA, and AICCTU activists gathered at Mandi House for a “Citizens March”.
They had planned to march up to Jantar Mantar but police did not allow.
Kavita Krishnan from AIPWA & CPIML expressed, “The government’s stubbornness on not repealing new farm laws shows that they do not respect the civil rights. The way the government chooses to behave like dictators and waged war against farmers and citizens shows how afraid they are and dictators are always coward. If it were a different government, this law would have been repealed. They are bound to act on the orders of their corporate masters who funded through electoral bonds and helped them to bring in power. This government is a threat to democracy.
Sucheta De from CPIML and Ex-JNUSU President, said, “This government does not have any public support and it stands no more for people rather it stands for the corporate, by the corporate and of the corporate. The way farmers’ protests handled with brutality and today our citizens’ protest is being stopped by armed policemen show the fascist nature of government. It is seen around the world when the corporate houses occupy the market and production; they always use the tool of violence to counter the resistance. In the name of free-market economy, we face barricades and water cannon against people and it is the true face of capitalism, we see in our country.
Attack on Identity
She opined that India stands for multiple identities and that is what we are proud of. Earlier, the identity of Muslims was attacked and the same has happened in the farmers’ protest. The protest at all venues on Delhi’s borders and western UP stands for diversity and the government fears unity in diversity.
She further expressed, “We need to introspect if elections are the reflection of democracy in India. Is this electoral system making eligible a poor to contest the election? The funds are being received from back door through electoral bonds and voters do not know the funders of the parties and candidates. Even the foreign funds are now allowed to receive as donations. The election results are being manipulated through EVM, if BJP thinks they can win the election then it should ban EVM in the election. The falsehood and pro-government propaganda of media are being spread to divert the public attention and influence public opinion. These three tools highlight the unfair election process which raises the question if elections are the reflection of democracy in India”.
On the recent budget, she said that the government punished the farmers by reducing the agriculture budget. The MSP security on oilseeds and pulses is reduced whereas the production of agriculture has been increased by 16 %.
Gauhar Raza, Scientist, Poet, and social activist stated, “The government is using all coercionist measures to suppress the farmers’ and people’s voice to fulfill its promise made to crony capitalism. The significant characteristic of democracy is to engage through dialogues and but fascists do not have anyway to engage except suppression. The people do not resist just the government but also stood against the corporate using the weapon of boycott as they did earlier in the history of freedom struggle. Those who promised to make United India are selling India’s resources and public sector companies piece by pieces.”
Dolan Samanta, JNU Research Scholar said, “Farmers have been protesting for last two months in Delhi but the government left no stone turn to label them as terrorists and khalistani despite the fact that we are getting food because of them. We demand to repeal all new farm laws and ensure MSP and subsidy and release all arrested farmers”.
