In a two-day National Executive meeting of All India Agricultural and Rural Labour Association concluded on 26 December in Patna, it was decided to further build up a nationwide resistance against the adverse impacts of demonetisation on workers who are forced to reverse migration in face of sudden rise in unemployment and consequent extreme low wages in rural areas, with government’s draconian anti-poor Note Ban.
AIARLA will hold protests at all district headquarters as part of this campaign on 15 January.
AIARLA demands to compensate rural and urban workers for loss of livelihoods and lives caused by demonetisation and to waive all farmer loans. It also said that rhetorical gestures regarding Benami property are not intended to materalise just like Note Ban was not meant to curb black money. Benami properties would have been seized by now in two and a half years of Modi rule and an urban ceiling Act would have been in place if the government was really serious about curbing corruption.
AIARLA leaders from all over the country shared their experiences of harshly negative impacts of Note Ban on workers and toiling masses. In absence of cash they have to work on very low wages while Minimum Wage Act remains a mockery. Workers are forced to even barter their labour in order to survive at many places. This cynical demonetisation is a severe blow for general masses, while at the same time Modi government has amassed huge amounts of common peoples’ cash in banks to further the interests of big corporates and the corrupt.
AIARLA resolved to fight for the compensation of at least Rs. one lakh to all poor and toiling masses against Note Ban losses; to declare Swish Banks’ account holders and corporate bank defaulters names to the public; to stop criminalising poor people’s Jan-Dhan accounts; to seize Benami properties immediately and to promulgate an urban ceiling act, to waive all types of loans of workers and peasants; to stop giving loans to big corporates and to provide more loans to general masses; to increase funds and works in MNREGA scheme; to make right to housing a basic fundamental right; and to guarantee lands, entitlements and possession for the dalits and tribals throughout India. The AIARLA will launch a nationwide campaign on these issues with immediate effect.
AIARLA has expressed its resentment on rising attacks on dalits and minorities in Bihar and other parts of country. With day by day increasing propensity towards Modi rule, Nitish government has totally stopped even mere discussions of the very important issues like land reforms and has now instead opted for indulging into demagogical 7-Resolves which is devoid of content and utterly rhetorical. The poor in Bihar are constantly under attacks and being displaced from their lands in face of various kinds of oppressions, brutalities and state repression.
