The first national convention of the joint platform of Central Trade Unions (CTUs) and Federations and the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) — the umbrella organisation of about 500 farmers’ outfits — will be held here at the Talkatora Stadium on Thursday. The meeting of workers and farmers will chart joint programmes and campaigns ahead of the 2024 general elections in mind. Leaders of the CTUs and the SKM told The Hindu that the convention would strengthen the campaign against the BJP governments at various States and the Centre. It would adopt a common charter of demands, a joint declaration regarding the current situation of workers and peasants and a common action programme against the Centre and the BJP-led State governments. The Opposition Congress and the Left parties have pledged support for the convention.
The organisers said the meeting was a move to plan for joint and coordinated struggles of workers and farmers against the increasing attacks on their rights by the Centre. Several hundreds of delegates representing workers, farmers, agricultural workers from across the country are expected to participate in it. SKM leader and president of the All India Kisan Sabha Ashok Dhawale said the convention would be “historic”. “For the first time in 76 years of independent India’s history, large sections of farmers and workers under the SKM and CTUs’ platform are coming together for a convention,” Dr. Dhawale said. CTUs had held a national convention on January 30. The SKM had also met at various parts of the country. But a joint convention is held for the first time.
From the farmers’ side the main demands will include a law to ensure guaranteed minimum support price (MSP), complete loan waiver and pension for farmers and agriculture workers and a revamped crop insurance scheme. Dr. Dhawale added that the Centre had made a mess of export and import policies and as a result, onion farmers were up in arms. “They are not doing this for consumers. Corporate companies and middlemen make the bucks. In the beginning of this season, onions were getting ₹400 per quintal. Had the Centre procured at a reasonable price at that point, this problem wouldn’t have occurred. Now, the Centre says it will procure two lakh metric tonnes of onions at a rate of ₹2,410, whereas the excess onions with farmers is about 40 lakh metric tonnes. This whole game is an eyewash,” Dr. Dhawale added.
Minimum wage
From the trade unions side, the main demands include a national minimum wage of at least ₹26,000 per month, stopping privatisation of public sector undertakings and scrapping of the Electricity Act amendments. “This government has destroyed the economy. They are selling off PSUs to corporate houses. PSUs were built using public money. In sectors like telecom and aviation, where privatisation was rampant, many companies disappeared after making huge profits and looting public,” said INTUC vice-president R. Chandrasekharan.
AICC general secretary Tariq Anwar said in a press release that the demands of the convention were just and the Congress would support them. He said unemployment and inflation increased under the Narendra Modi government, making the lives of workers difficult.
AITUC general secretary Amarjeet Kaur said the joint front would discuss issues of unemployed youth, students and general public. She said there would be a clear message to workers and peasants that the Narendra Modi regime should not remain in power and must be ousted. “We will be working towards 2024 elections. This government’s policies are against the interests of the country and its workers and peasants,” Ms. Kaur said.
