A public meeting was organized by the Chhattisgarh Kisan Sabha, where farmer leader Rakesh Tikait addressed the farmers affected by the SECL Gevra project. During the meeting, Tikait appealed to the farmers to resort to a massive protest if their demands are not met by the central and state governments.
Tikait alleged that both the central and state governments want to give land to industrialists by snatching it from the poor. He emphasized that the fight to save the land in Chhattisgarh has become the biggest battle, with agitations going on in 22 places across the state.
Tikait urged thousands of farmers present in the meeting to fight together against the central and state governments if their six-point demands are not fulfilled.
40 leaders of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha are touring the country with the message of worker-farmer solidarity. Tikait mentioned that he will be in Chhattisgarh till February 18 as part of it. The Sanyukt Kisan Morcha is a coalition of several farmer unions that have been protesting against the three farm laws passed by the Indian government.
All India Kisan Sabha joint secretary Badal Saroj also addressed the meeting, raising the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission. The Swaminathan Commission was formed in 2004 to suggest measures to enhance the welfare of farmers in India. Saroj called for a law to provide farmers with one and a half times the support price of the gross cost.
Saroj also criticized the Indian government's policies, alleging that they are designed to fill the coffers of corporates with Rs 2.5 crore every minute. He mentioned that 115 capitalists of the world have demanded their governments to increase taxes to deal with the global recession, but the Indian government is implementing policies to benefit the corporations.
The farmers have been protesting against the three farm laws passed by the Indian government, which they believe will harm their livelihoods. The protests have been going on for several months, and farmers have been camping at the borders of Delhi demanding to rescind of the laws. Since then the farm laws have been repealed.
