Farmers hold massive protest in Delhi; demand loan waiver, better wages

Thousands of farmers, peasants and labourers from all over the country held a massive protest in Delhi on September 5 against the Modi governments 'anti-people' policies. They also demanded for higher prices for their farm produce, loan waivers and better wages.

The 'Mazdoor Kishan Sangharsh Rally' organized by All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and All-India Agricultural Workers' Union (AIAWU) also asked for solid measures to generate jobs, minimum monthly salary of Rs 18000 for workers and stopping forcible land acquisition as well as changes in labour laws.

According to the organizers, nearly 1.5 lakh farmers and labourers from 23 states have taken part in the protest, preparation for which had begun several months back.

General secretary of CITU Tapan Sen said "The protest is a warning to the Modi government before Lok Sabha polls for ignoring the demands of workers and farmers".

General secretary of AIKS Hannan Mollah said " the government for the last four years has been fooling the farmers. It has never done anything for them. The government should give the farmers remunerative price as per the Swaminathan Committee's recommendations".

The organizers told it was the very first time after Independence that farmers along with workers together participated in a rally against the government.