Farmers, trade union members take out rally in Mysuru

Farmers and trade union members rally against Centre's farm laws, demanding fair wages, pension, and protection of rights.

Farmers and trade union members on Tuesday took out a rally here to mark the 4th anniversary of the year-long agitation of farmers against the Centre’s farm laws.

The agitation was staged under the banner of Joint Committee of Trade Unions (JCTU) and it comprised members of AITUC, farmers, women’s and youth organisations, and factory workers.

Samyukta Horata-Karnataka said the agitation was being staged across the country to mark the 4th anniversary of the agitation and added that November 26 was observed as the protest day by farmers, workers and others.

The farmers staged protests in Delhi against the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 that were introduced by the Narendra Modi government. The protestors alleged that the laws were intended to corporatise the agricultural sector.

The protesters said the NDA-3 government’s policies were driving the working class people into a crisis situation as they alleged that it was looking after the welfare of the corporates, rich and super rich, ignoring the farmers and others.

In a memorandum, the organisations urged the President of India to prevail upon the government at the Centre to take the problems faced by the farmers and workers seriously in the interest of the country and also appealed to her to intervene for protecting the rights of farmers and labour workers.

Their demands included minimum support price for all crops, abolition of contract labour; minimum wages of ₹26,000 a month and monthly pension of ₹10,000 a month for organised, unorganised, labour workers, and farm workers. Loan waiver announcements for farmers and labour workers to prevent suicides, and loans to farmers and workers at low interest rate were the other demands.