AIKMS, Communalism, Land Struggles, Peasants, Semi-feudal

Resolutions from Third All India Conference of All India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha (AIKMS)

Resolutions

  1. On compensation for crop damage.

The third All India Conference of AIKMS expresses its grave concern at the serious losses suffered by peasants due to damage to crops on account of inadequate protection from natural causes like drought and floods and havoc caused by companies supplying spurious seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. Such crop damage depresses the conditions of the already crisis ridden peasantry, pushing many of them into destitution and helplessness.

The third All India Conference demands that the govt. must pay full compensation for the entire loss of crops suffered by any number of peasants. No criteria should be artificially fixed to deprive them of this right. This compensation should be paid to peasants, share croppers and agricultural labourers suffering due to damage to crops.

  1. Indebtedness and loan waiver

The third All India Conference of AIKMS expresses its grave concern at the rise of indebtedness in the peasantry and agricultural labour, pushing many of them to suicide. Peasant suicides are continuing in Vidharba, Telengana, Punjab and many other parts of the country, while cases of suicides of agricultural labourers are also being reported. The cause of rising indebtedness lies in the adverse terms of trade with regard to agriculture – rising cost of inputs and absence of remunerative prices, inadequate institutional lending forcing peasants to take private loans.

The third All India Conference demands family of every peasant who is forced to commit suicide should be given Rs. 10 lakhs. The Conference also demands that loans of the peasants including share croppers and agricultural labour, which they are unable to pay should be completely waved off. They should be provided access to institutional credit and there should be moratorium for five years on repayment of loan or interest thereon for at least five years.

  1. On Agricultural labour

The third All India Conference of AIKMS notes that the number of agricultural labourers is rising while their condition is declining. They are suffering from inadequate employment, lack of payment of minimum wages and are even forced to work under sub-human conditions in a large number of areas. They are not provided employment even for the days (150) guaranteed under Govt. Employment Guarantee Scheme. Even their wages are not paid in time. They enjoy little social security. Even the food-grains provided to them under the Food Security Act are only 5 kg. per person per month which is grossly inadequate and no other essential item is supplied. Increasing privatization of health and education is taking these basic rights away from them.

The third All India Conference demands that agricultural labourers should be provided year round employment. They should be paid proper wages and they should be covered by social security net. We demand immediate enactment of comprehensive legislation to guarantee their full rights. 

  1. Share-croppers and land rights.

The third All India Conference of AIKMS notes that the condition of share-croppers / tenant farmers and landless peasants is worsening. Governments are abandoning land reforms and the state is protecting illegal possessions of landlords. This monopoly of land in the rural areas is oppressive to the share-croppers/tenant peasants and agricultural labourers.

The third All India Conference demands that recording of share-croppers throughout India should be immediately done so that they may have access to institutional credit, could sell their produce to Govt. agencies and could also get compensation in case of crop damage. We also demand radical land reforms and call for intensifying struggle for land to landless poor peasants.

  1. Fascist attacks by communal RSS-BJP Govt.

The third All India Conference of AIKMS expresses its serious concern that the RSS-BJP Govt. ruling at the centre is intensifying its attacks against religious minorities, national minorities, rationalists and all progressive people. They have launched attacks against left forces in general while revolutionary left is their main target. Their attack against Hyderabad Central University, JNU and other premier academic institutions is to target the progressive and revolutionary left forces. Hindutva ideology is essentially against minorities, oppressed castes, women and tribals. The attacks launched by them are part of fascist offensive of RSS-BJP Govt.

RSS-BJP Govt is unable to fulfil its promises. Its policies are leading to worsening of conditions of the people including peasantry. Their fascist drive for which they are using the plank of nationalism even as they surrender before foreign companies, is part of the drive.

The third All India Conference resolves to intensify struggle against this fascist offensive of ruling communal forces. We will co-operate with other forces in this struggle.