Skip to main content

Punjab farmers hold anti-G-20 protest against state move to support 'imperialist' policies

By Harsh Thakor* 

On the call of the Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta-Ugrahan), thousands of farmers, farm labourers, women, youth and students thronged to Amritsar to protest and hold demonstration against the on-going propaganda for the G-20 summit to be held in Delhi in September this year, demanding that agriculture, industry, education, health, electricity and water etc. should remain free of the tyranny of the imperialist powers.
The meeting also demanded scrapping of “the anti-people” agreements signed with the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Addressing the gathering at the occasion of the protest demonstration, leaders Jogindar Singh Ugrahan and Sukhdev singh Kokri Kalan classified the G-20 platform as one for mortgaging the country in the hands of imperialists, adding, various conferences being organised in India, including the one in Amritsar, were being held to carve a strategy for plundering the country and Punjab.
They said that during G-20 summit, schemes are to be designed for further intensifying of exploitation by the imperialist countries by mercilessly subordinating open education sector fully to the big powers. It would seek further amendments in labour laws so as to strangulate the toiling masses.
They termed the claims of the state government about development of Punjab with the help of foreign investment as false and misleading. They affirmed that chief minister Bhagwant Mann was repeating the history of the colonial era by betraying martyrs Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru and giving sanction to imperialism by literally inviting them to the doorsteps.
According to them, foreign investment paves the path for the plunder of the rich natural resources and exploitation of labour in order suit the needs of the imperialists. It will be an instrument of destruction rather than that of development.
The dwindling industry of Punjab and the crisis-ridden agriculture are in turmoil under the sins of the new economic and industrial policies implemented under the agreements signed through such platforms, they opined, adding, the black agriculture laws were by the Central government were under pressure of imperialist organisations WTO.
The move too get rid of government-controlled agricultural markets, privatisation of state electricity boards, import of foreign wheat, opening of private universities, ruining the state education system by introducing new education policy, privatisation of water distribution – all these, they said, are part of the strategy of imperialist control.
They further said that on one hand the Punjab government is claiming to work out ways to retrieve agriculture from crisis, but on the other hand its policies are pushing the state agriculture into crisis. They demanded that state government should design a new agriculture policy in accordance with the draft given by the BKU (Ekta-Ugrahan).
The design is to plunder the natural resources and labour power of the country through the platforms supported by G-20 countries
Another senior leader Shingara Singh Maan said that the group of 20 countries are currently in a leading role in working out exploitative formulations of WTO, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, in order to impose them on backward countries in name of development.
Agreements are sought to be signed for further strengthening the power of multinational companies in agriculture, industry and trade of countries, said Maan, adding, the design is to plunder the natural resources and labour power of the country through these platforms. In fact, G-20 is the platform to mortgage the country in the hands of the imperialists.
Woman leader Harrinder Kaur Bindu, while summarising the role of valiant women like Gulab Kaur and Rani Jhansi, in the struggle against the British colonial rule, declared the support of women agriculturalists against the new imperialist policies and decisions sought to be supported by the government.
Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union leader Lachhman Singh Sewewala, Hushiar singh Salemgarh, leader of PSU Shaheed Randhawa and Ashwni Ghudha, leader of the Naujvan Bharat Sabha pledged support to the protest. They insisted that issues like unemployment, debt, suicides and pollution being faced by workers, farmers, youth and common people have their roots planted in foreign lands – those who are members of the f the G-20 group.
---
*Freelance journalist who has covered mass movements across India and has frequently toured Punjab

Comments

TRENDING

Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan raises concerns over Jharkhand Adivasis' plight in Assam, BJP policies

By Our Representative  The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan (Save Democracy Campaign) has issued a pressing call to protect Adivasi rights in Jharkhand, highlighting serious concerns over the treatment of Jharkhandi Adivasis in Assam. During a press conference in Ranchi on November 9, representatives from Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh criticized the current approach of BJP-led governments in these states, arguing it has exacerbated Adivasi struggles for rights, land, and cultural preservation.

Promoting love or instilling hate and fear: Why is RSS seeking a meeting with Rahul Gandhi?

By Ram Puniyani*  India's anti-colonial struggle was marked by a diverse range of social movements, one of the most significant being Hindu-Muslim unity and the emergence of a unified Indian identity among people of all religions. The nationalist, anti-colonial movement championed this unity, best embodied by Mahatma Gandhi, who ultimately gave his life for this cause. Gandhi once wrote, “The union that we want is not a patched-up thing but a union of hearts... Swaraj (self-rule) for India must be an impossible dream without an indissoluble union between the Hindus and Muslims of India. It must not be a mere truce... It must be a partnership between equals, each respecting the religion of the other.”

Right-arm fast bowler who helped West Indies shape arguably greatest Test team in cricket history

By Harsh Thakor*  Malcolm Marshall redefined what it meant to be a right-arm fast bowler, challenging the traditional laws of biomechanics with his unique skill. As we remember his 25th death anniversary on November 4th, we reflect on the legacy he left behind after his untimely death from colon cancer. For a significant part of his career, Marshall was considered one of the fastest and most formidable bowlers in the world, helping to shape the West Indies into arguably the greatest Test team in cricket history.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah  The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Andhra team joins Gandhians to protest against 'bulldozer action' in Varanasi

By Rosamma Thomas*  November 1 marked the 52nd day of the 100-day relay fast at the satyagraha site of Rajghat in Varanasi, seeking the restoration of the 12 acres of land to the Sarva Seva Sangh, the Gandhian organization that was evicted from the banks of the river. Twelve buildings were demolished as the site was abruptly taken over by the government after “bulldozer” action in August 2023, even as the matter was pending in court.  

Will Bangladesh go Egypt way, where military ruler is in power for a decade?

By Vijay Prashad*  The day after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka, I was on the phone with a friend who had spent some time on the streets that day. He told me about the atmosphere in Dhaka, how people with little previous political experience had joined in the large protests alongside the students—who seemed to be leading the agitation. I asked him about the political infrastructure of the students and about their political orientation. He said that the protests seemed well-organized and that the students had escalated their demands from an end to certain quotas for government jobs to an end to the government of Sheikh Hasina. Even hours before she left the country, it did not seem that this would be the outcome.

Will Left victory in Sri Lanka deliver economic sovereignty plan, go beyond 'tired' IMF agenda?

By Atul Chandra, Vijay Prashad*  On September 22, 2024, the Sri Lankan election authority announced that Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) alliance won the presidential election. Dissanayake, who has been the leader of the left-wing JVP since 2014, defeated 37 other candidates, including the incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP) and his closest challenger Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya. 

Green Revolution’s reliance on chemical fertilizers, pesticides contributing to Punjab's health crisis

By Bharat Dogra, Jagmohan Singh*  Punjab was once synonymous with robust health, particularly in its rural areas, where farmers were known for their strength and vitality. However, in recent years, reports from these villages tell a different story, with rising cases of serious health issues, including cancer. What led to this decline? The answer lies largely in the erosion of good nutrition, once a hallmark of Punjabi village life. The health of a population is closely tied to its nutrition, and Punjab's reputation as a provider of high-quality nutrition has suffered greatly. The loss of biodiversity in agriculture has led to a decrease in the variety and quality of crops, resulting in poorer nutrition. Pulses, a key source of protein, have seen a steep decline in cultivation due to the disruption of traditional farming practices by the Green Revolution. This has had a detrimental effect on both soil and human health. Although pulses are still available in the market, they are exp

Tributes paid to pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, who 'dodged' police for 60 yrs

By Harsh Thakor*  Jagjit Singh Sohal, known as Comrade Sharma, a pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, passed away on October 20 at the age of 96. Committed to the Naxalite cause and a prominent Maoist leader, Sohal, who succeeded Charu Majumdar, played hide and seek with the police for almost six decades. He was cremated in Patiala.