Day 220

Toll 530+

#KisanSangharsh*

Stock Limit on Pulses

Given the rising fuel prices – on which Centre can reduce taxes but does not – the prices of all commodities are rising. Middle class household budgets have shaken up. The poor are unable to afford food.
Two days back, the government imposed stock limits on all pulses except moong: millers – last three months of production or 25 per cent of annual installed capacity; wholesalers – 200 tonnes; retailers – 5 tonnes.

This is a welcome step. Applaud.

But, the new Essential Commodities Act, does not allow for it. The new ECA, in section 2, b, ii says: stock limit can be imposed on price rise of fifty per cent in case of non-perishable agricultural foodstuff.

Have the prices on all pulses breached that limit yet? No. Then how has the government imposed the stock limit in contravention to its own new laws?

The government could do that because in December 2020 the Supreme Court had suspended the implementation of the three central farm laws including the new ECA so the previous ECA 1955 still applies. ECA 1955 allows the government to regulate the production, supply, and distribution of a whole host of commodities that it declares ‘essential’ to make them available to consumers at fair prices.

A black market run in pulses is curtailed for now because the old law still holds good. Of course, the prices of perishable agriculture products are still swinging widely between either high because of rarity or distress sale because farmers are unable to transport given high diesel rates and the government has no mechanism to check it.

Now do you see why the farmers are protesting against new laws? Because if implemented, they will wreck havoc not only upon farmers, but the whole of India. Especially, us – the urban consumers.

*Changed tag because Facebook has curtailed views with this tag.

Day 219

Toll 530+

#FarmersProtest

Protest Against Fuel Hike

There have been some enquiries on the Samyukt Kisan Morcha nation-wide call against fuel hike. The reason why SKM has called all sections of Indian society to join the call is that fuel hike concerns us all.

Well, Essential Commodities Act also concerns us but fuel hike is like the Chinese water torture – drop by drop cold water on scalp, in this case relentless paisa by paise increase in prices. Such that while crude prices have nose-dived globally, the Central government taxes have more than doubled the prices between 2014 and 2021 and now in many part of the country we pay over Rs 100 for a litre of petrol.

The chief enquiry that I am getting is: how do citizens join the strike? Normally, SKM passes a statement and then in a few days outlines the plan. So, let us wait to hear from them, I will share. Here is the part of SKM press release which contains the announcement:

‘In a meeting organised by SKM today at Singhu Border and attended by 67 farmers’ organisations, the farmers’ movement has decided to hold nation-wide protests on July 8th (Thursday) against fuel price hikes. The protests will be on the side of roads, between 10am and 12noon on July 8th, without obstructing the traffic, with scooters, motorcycles, tractors, trucks, other vehicles and empty cooking gas cylinders. SKM appeals to people from all walks of life to join the July 8th protests, since the exorbitant prices of fuel in the country are affected all common citizens.’

Form this I derive these protests need to be localised, by neighbourhood groups or even individuals. It is a limited protest for two hours 10 am to 12 am, July 8, next Thursday. All we need is chart paper, perhaps informal banners and stand on our nearby main roads and petrol bunks.

Whatever be the economic rationale of the price hike, its effect on all goods is clear. Our household budgets are in disarray. I also see these hikes as a test of whether we citizens care? Do we even dare to protest the government? Do we have a voice still? Or has relentless bullying worked, have we cowered?

Consider those, reply to the government. Join in.

Day 217

Toll 528+

#FarmersProtest

Ruckus

The Ghazipur protest site is on top of the flyover and below it. The protesters have left one side of the road – Delhi exit – open. Normally traffic moves at high speed on that side of the road, some vehicles slow down to take a closer look at protests.

For the past few days now, on the pretext of welcoming a BJP leader Amit Valmiki, several BJP-RSS workers and supporters have been climbing the road next to the protest stage. They have also raised slogans against the farmers’ movement, calling farmers gaddar, anti national, Khalistani and terrorists. Yesterday, they also beat drums to drown out the stage proceedings and indulged in stone-pelting onto the morcha stage.

There was absolutely no justification to welcome the BJP leader at this location. That too for three days. The BJP did this only to instigate a clash with the protesting farmers. Farmers objected and confronted them with black flags. Farmers insisted on the BJP workers leaving the place. Police remained mute spectators throughout. In the ensuing clash, at least 5 farmers were injured.

The BJP is clearly trying to bring in discord and disturbance by dividing people on caste and religion lines. The allegations of weapons being found, and vehicles being damaged are obviously, political diversionary tactics. A complaint has been lodged by the protesting farmers at the local police station.

Khori village is located on the Faridabad-Delhi border. After an 11-years legal battle, on June 7 the Supreme Court ordered the demolition of thousands of homes and eviction of dwellers with no compensation whatsoever. The SKM decided to conduct a Mahapanchayat at the village yesterday. Before the Mahapanchayat, the police indulged in heavy lathi charged on the resident labour.

Several activists were arrested, beaten and released last night. They are: Rajveer Kaur, Ravinder Singh, Sanjay Maurya, Satya Veer Singh, Sahil Saifi, Lukman and Narendra Singh. SKM is in solidarity with the residents of Khori village and will prevent their eviction.

Yesterday, under the leadership of farmer leader Tajinder Singh Virk, a large number of farmers reached the Bahedi toll of Bareilly district and the toll has been made free.

Posted on June 29, 2021

Day 215

Toll 526+

#FarmersProtest

Not my content but posting it here for posterity. Tomorrow, the protests are going to mark the Hul Adivasi Rebellion, 30 June 1855.

Read to know who are our indigenous people, what the rebellion was about. I learnt so much from it, perhaps you would too. It made me understand how I take my received knowledge of what makes us India and my privileges for granted.

Salute!

—

Tribals have been in the forefront of India’s freedom struggle. Even much before the people of mainland India, tribals started their armed resistance against British colonial rulers in different parts of India. One such important rebellion was the historic Hull rebellion led by tribal heros Sidhhu and Kanu of Shanthal Pragana. Sidhhu, Kanu along with Chand and Bhairab were the four sons of Narayan Majhi of Santal Pragana’s Bhagnadihi village. Kanu was born in the year, 1820. The Rajamahal mountain ranges of Shantal pargana were called as Damine Koh, meaning flying mountains.

Childhood of Sidhhu and Kano passed in acute poverty. From the very beginning they were witness to how the local landlords and money landers with the support of Britishers exploited and looted the Santhals of his area.

Local landlords were keeping tribal people as Dadans to exploit their free labour. They were snatching away their land in different pretexts. Even their women were subject to sexual exploitation.

At that time railway line was being laid in that area. Snatching away the fertile land of tribals for this purpose had created strong resentment among them.

After realizing the need of a protest against this injustice, Kanu first interacted with the local tribal people. People responded to his idea positively and shared their bitter experience and resentment against the feudal landlords along with the Britishers. Kanu and his brothers have organized series of meetings to end this exploitation of Santhals. Big meetings were conducted where thousands of people including non-tribal poor who were also exploited by the landlord-money landers and local British officials participated. They collectively decided to fight against this exploitation and injustice and also to bring it to the notice of British Governor staying at Kolkata. They had an illusion that Governor will solve their problem as the local British officers instead of listening their grievances were supporting the landlord and money lenders.

As per this decision a huge meeting was held near his village Bhagnadihi on 30th June 1855 to start their formal agitation. Thousands of people from four hundred villages of that area participated. Not only Santhals but other exploited people of different non tribal communities participated. Kanu was unanimously selected as the leader and Sidhhu as the deputy leader to lead the agitation. This was the historic day in the history of Santhal pargana area. Later Britishers called this agitation as Santhal Rebellion. Hul in Santhali means Revolutionary appeal and many Santhali Hul Songs became popular then. In that meeting Kanu had given the call of “Chalo Kolkata” to meet the Governor of British and the march started there. This created panic among the local landlords – money landers and British officials. An unsuccessful attempt was made to stop this march under the leadership of Mahesh Daroga who was killed on 7th July at the hands of agitators.

To stop that march of tribals, a huge contingent of British police led by Major Byaroj attacked the people but he was fought back and forced to run away. Very soon people realized that they will not be allowed to march to Kolkatta and so the armed rebellion is the only option. Instead of assembling in big numbers they decided to form small team of armed rebels and started attacking the local landlords and money landers. On 12th July rebels captured the Rajabati or palace of Pakud. That palace had been used as the main camp of Britishers to suppress tribal protest and suppression. Before the rebels reached there all except the women and children fled. Rebels did no harm to them. Only food grains were looted.

Seeing the rising tide of the rebellion, the Britishers sent their army which resorted to large scale repression and harassment of people. This forced Kanu-Sidhhu and their associates to realize that the methods of appeal and application has gone and armed rebellion was the only option to save the Santhals. They gave a call to end the British rule. This political slogan was given consciously.

Soon the rebellion spread through the border districts of Bengal and Jharkhand. Bankura, Birbhum, Murshidabad, Ranigunj area of Burdawan and Asansol became the centres of rebellion. An armed womens wing was also developed under the leadership of Kanu’s wife Phulmani to resist the British forces but all of them were killed by the enemy. It is officially accepted that more than 15,000 rebel farmers, mainly tribals were killed by the British army.

British officials had conspired to capture both Sidhhu and Kanu by engaging spies. For the exchange of money some betrayers had provided information first about Sidhhu and he was captured in 1855. A drama of trying him for his crime was enacted in a British court and hanging order was given. He was soon hanged from a tree by the Britishers in 1855. But his death did not stop the rebellion. Rather it sharpened day by day. More and more landlords and money landers of the area and British were eliminated by surprise attacks of rebels. Britishers knew Kanu was the main leader and rebellion cannot be crushed without capturing or killing him. Finally, he was captured on 30th Nov 1855 and after a trial drama from 14-16 Jan 1856, he was sentenced to death by the British court. On 23 Jan 1856 he was brought to his village and hanged there. This was done only to terrorise the local people.

Sidhhu and Kanu were fearless fighters who had sacrificed their life for the cause of the people. Their rebellion against British colonialists and their native associates like landlords and money landers was a glorious chapter in the history of India. Their rebellion forced the Britishers to enact laws like Chotanagpur Tenancy Act. This struggle continues to inspire the common people particularly the tribals of our country to resist exploitation and assert the right over land and forest resources.

In this context every year 30th June is observed as the Hul Day by the people of Santhal Pragana and bordering districts of Bengal.

Bhalchandra Shadangi
Secretary, AIKMS