AIKSCC Leaders Meet President of India to Press for Special Session of Parliament

All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) has called for marking the first anniversary of the killing of six farmers in Mandsaur in 2017 as Mandsaur Shaheed Kisan Smriti Diwas. It will hold a torch rally (mashaal juloos) in Bhopal on June 4^th, a commemorative meeting in Buda village on June 5^th, and a day-long fast in Takravat village on June 6^th. All other districts in the country will hold protest programs on June 6 and demand arrest of the officials who ordered firing, according to a media release.

AIKSCC leaders met the President of India on Saturday (May 28), presented to him the two bills prepared by the farmers of the country and requested him to call for a special session of the Parliament to discuss the agrarian crisis and pass these bills. The bills secure legal rights for all farmers, including landless for freedom from indebtedness and for guaranteed remunerative prices. It was explained that if the government can hold a special midnight session for GST, why not for addressing farmers’ crisis?” The leaders also informed him that leaders of 21 political parties had signed their support for the bills.

The President was forthright in his support to the cause raised by the AIKSCC and said everyone needs to work hard for this.

While the bills are presented in Parliament by Raju Setti and Nagesh, AIKSCC members will press upon local MPs to lend support.

AIKSCC shall also hold its General Body meeting in Delhi on June 16^th,the day it was formed last year. It has 193 farmers’ organisations.

In accordance with the rights in the bills, the AIKSCC will raise special all India movements to demand to lower of input costs, particularly diesel prices which are breaking the back of farmers and a ban on the corporate farming plan which is to further help MNCs and bind farmers to them.

AIKSCC has condemned the brutal and pre-meditated attack by Tamil Nadu police on people protesting pollution by Sterlite/Vedanta factory. It also condemned the inaction of Uttar Pradesh government in addressing the non-payment of cane dues to farmers, which led to the death of a protestor.

AIKSCC clarified that the “village shutdown” or “strike” by farmers, between June 1st and June 10th 2018 in some pockets of the country is not on their call, though it extends its best wishes to protest movements seeking to secure basic rights for farmers.

The delegation which met the President included Sri V.M. Singh, Sri. Raju Shetti, Hannan Mollah, Yogendra Yadav, Atul Anjan, Prem Singh Gehlawat, Pratibha Shinde, Kiran Vissa, Kavita Kuruganthi, Avik Saha, Rampal Jat, Dr. Sunilam, Tejindar Virk, Rashipal Ambawata, and Dr. Ashish Mital, the media release informed.