All India Agricultural and Rural Workers’ Association held its Valsad district conference in Gujarat on 12 July 2017. The conference began with a huge rally of agricultural workers against Modi government’s anti-agrarian workers and anti-adivasi policies and to condemn the lynchings of Muslims and dalits all over the country. The rally participants paid tributes to the 7 Amarnath pilgrims who were killed in the terrorist attack on 10 July; three of those killed and several of those injured were from Valsad district. The rally raised its voice against divisive hate-mongering and warned against attempts by the BJP and Sangh parivar to communalize the Valsad bandh that was being held against the Amarnath attack on the same day.
The rally was addressed by CPI(ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya. He criticized the government for grabbing the adivasis’ lands despite the fact that forest regions of Gujarat fall under the purview 5th Schedule and their lands are protected. Adivasis under the CPI(ML) banner will continue to fight for land in this district. Atrocities on dalits have increased manifold in Gujarat. CPI(ML) activists are participating in the ‘Azaadi Kooch’ that is being held against last year’s atrocities on Dalits at Una for which the criminals are still not punished. He also hailed Kisan Mukti Yatra that began at Mandsaur and which had reached Gujarat on the same day that the rally was being held.
Comrade Dipankar said that there is a growing atmosphere of solidarity and resistance against the communal fascist forces in the country and appreciated the similar forces working in Gujarat who are trying to put up effective resistance in Gujarat.
CPI(ML) Politburo member Prabhat Kumar, Gujarat Incharge Ranjan Ganguly, senior leaders Laxman Patanwadia, Amit Patanwadia, Kamlesh Gurav and CPI(ML) Valsad Secretary Laxmanbhai Chhaganbhai Varli also addressed the rally.
The AIARLA conference began in Jyoti Sabhagaar with tributes to martyrs of democratic movements and terror attacks. A 3-member Presidium conducted the proceedings while the report was presented by comrade Laxmanbhai Varli. The report expressed a serious concern for the condition of adivasi agricultural workers and unorganised rural workers in Valsad district. The discussions among delegates finally culminated in a 6-point charter of demands and struggle as the forthcoming tasks for the district organisation. The demands included, 1. Entitlement of lands for the adivasi families tilling the lands as per the Forest Rights Act 2005; 2. Strong action against land grabbers and mafia; 3. To give back the lands to adivasis which were taken away through scams and deceit, and to constitute a team which will prepare a report after a survey of such lands; 4. Compensation for the damage caused to lands and water due to pollution by chemical industries under the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation; 5. Guarantee of legally mandated wages and other entitlements to all agricultural and rural labourers; and 6. Alternative lands to adivasi farmers whose lands were submerged by Madhuvan dam in the area.
The Conference elected a 41-member District Council which in turn elected the office bearers in Valsad district.
