Kisan Mahasabha Observes Protest Day against Barkagaon Massacre

On the night of 30 September police attacked farmers protesting against land grab and fired on them while they were asleep, killing four and injuring many more. Farmers do not want to give up their land but the Modi government at the Centre and the Raghuvar Das government in Jharkhand want to force them to do so through bullet power. The Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Mahasabha observed a countrywide Protest Day on 24 October against this massacre by the police. While state-wide bandh was observed in Jharkhand along with rallies, marches, protest meetings and effigy burnings, widespread protests were also held in different parts of the country. Thousands of farmers protested and expressed their outrage and unity by participating in marches, meetings and effigy burnings of Modi and Raghuvar Das. Slogans were raised demanding Modi to answer for the Barkagaon killings and asking for resignation of Raghuvar Das who was responsible for the killings. The protestors also demanded an ending of forcible land grab from farmers; relief, rehabilitation, and compensation as per the Land Acquisition Bill 2013; denouncing Company Raj and demanding restoration of democratic rights.

Huge protests were held across Bihar led by Kisan Sabha and CPI(ML) leaders. Protest rallies, marches, effigy burnings and meetings were held at Daudnagar in Aurangabad district, Fatuha, Sampatchak, Punpun, Dhanrua, Dulhinbazaar, Naubatpur in Patna district. Protests were also held in Bihata. The Kisan Sabha organized a dharna in Siwan in front of the Collectorate. Rallies and meetings were held in Jehanabad, Nawada, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Purnea, Rohtas, Vaishali, Nalanda, Beguserai, Jamui and other places, which were addressed by many speakers including former MLA Com. Amarnath Yadav, Com. Halkari Devi and Com. Jagdish Paswan. The speakers stressed that the Barkagaon attack and killings are indicative of the brutality of the police and the complicity of the central and state governments. The Modi government had brought in the Land Acquisition ordinance four times but had to back down in the face of strong protests by farmers. Now the government is running away from paying the farmers relief, compensation and rehabilitation as per the 2013 Land Ordinance Act. The Modi government is strangling democracy and attempting to inflict Company Raj on the country. The speakers called for the resignation of CM Raghuvar Das holding him responsible for the massacre.

In Rajasthan, Kisan Sabha leaders including National executive member Com. Ramchandra Kulhari, Com. Phoolchand Dheva, and others led a protest in Jhunjhunu district and submitted a memorandum to the President through the DM demanding sacking of the Jharkhand government which was responsible for the murder of the farmers.

Protests were also held and memorandums sent to the PM through the district authorities in Bhind (Madhya Pradesh), Bhuvaneshwar (Odisha) and other places.

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