People's Democracy

THE SIXTH CONFERENCE OF TKMU

Agrarian Policy Of The Centre Condemned

  Saroj Chanda

THE sixth conference of the Tripura Khet Mazdoor Union held in the temple town Udaipur concluded its three-day deliberations on February 15, amid great enthusiasm. The venue of the conference was named after the founder secretary of the TKMU, Late Samar Chowdhury.    

The conference was attended by 329 delegates, among whom 49 were women, representing a membership of 1,34,102 enrolled last year(2002-03). Preparatory to the state conference lower level conferences at Panchayat (Primary), Anchal (Area) and Sub-Divisional levels were held which in their wake mobilised thousands of agricultural workers throughout the state. In fact, there was big stir in the rural areas of the state centering around the series of conferences.

The conference was formally opened with the hoisting of the Union Flag by TKMU president Saroj Chanda at 2.00 p.m. on February 13. It was followed by the laying of wreaths at the martyrs’ column and the observance of a minute’s silence, all standing.

MASS RALLY

The same evening a big mass rally of over thirty thousand people, mostly agricultural workers and poor peasants, hailing from different parts of the state was held at the K B Institution ground. The CPI(M) Polit Bureau member  and the chief minister  of the state Manik Sarkar was the main speaker. Sarkar in his lengthy speech castigated the agrarian policy of the BJP-led central government which were biased against the agricultural workers and poor peasants. He said that India is losing more and more its economic sovereignty because of the Vajpayee government’s policy of abject surrender to the dictates of the imperialists. The main thrust of Sarkar’s speech was the best possible utilisation of the limited resources of the state with an eye to a moderate level of development within the shortest possible time. Explaining the special significance of the coming electoral battle he emphasised the need for the replacement of BJP-led government by a government composed of secular forces at the centre. Sarkar also called upon all the democratic and secular minded people of Tripura to make the Left Front supported CPI(M) candidates victorious by record number of votes.

Addressing the gathering Hannan Mollah, joint secretary of the All India Agricultural Workers’ Union extensively dealt with the worsening economic and social condition of the agricultural workers and poor peasants and held the pro-rich policies of the central government responsible for it. While exposing the anti-peasant and anti-agricultural workers policies of the central government, we must take advantage of the electoral battle ahead to unseat the BJP-led government from power, he emphasised.

The other speakers in the meeting were Bhanulal Saha, secretary, Tripura Khet Mazoor Union, and Saroj Chanda, president, TKMU.

DELEGATE SESSION

The delegate session began its work on February 13, evening with the election of a 5-member presidium consisting of Saroj Chanda, Manik Biswas, Ramakanta Paul, Muqbul Hussein and Smt Sabita Das and a Steering Committee consisting of Bhanulal Saha, Manik Majumder, Nripen Datta, Pankaj Chakraborty, Narayan Chowdhury and Banabihari Saha. After the condolence resolution was read out on behalf of the presidium and the delegates paid their homage to those who sacrificed their lives for people’s cause, the joint secretary of the AIAWU Hannan Mollah took the floor to deliver his inaugural address.

Sharply criticising the policy of liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation (LPG) pursued by the BJP-led government, Hannan Mollah said that the LPG policy has only brought widespread economic distress for the agricultural workers and rural poor, while the number of agricultural workers is increasing at a rate bigger than the growth rate of rural population, the number of days of work is steadily decreasing. Quoting figures, he said that in 1991 the number of days of work available was 100, but in 2001 it came down to 78 and now only 72. The joblessness has resulted in sharp fall in the purchasing power of the agricultural workers and consequently, the deepening of poverty and hunger. Hannan Mollah emphasised the need for organising the agricultural workers in a bigger way and to bring them on to the field of struggle to resist the onslaught of the government.

The state secretary Bhanulal Saha presented the work report for a period of three years five months since the last conference held in September 2000. The report dealt, in brief, the main features and trends of the international and national situation. It criticised the NDA government for following an agricultural policy at the dictate of imperialist agency which resulted in the increasing povertisation in the countryside further swelling of the landless peasants and the frightful shrinkage of the employment opportunities.

Dealing with the state situation, the report noted the development programme which the Left Front government has undertaken notwithstanding the serious financial and resource constraints. While the report noted with satisfaction the positive achievements of the 3-tier Panchayat Raj system, it at the same cautioned the Union activists not to be over dependent on the government machinery but to give more importance to mobilise the people and to ensure their intervention wherever necessary.

From a review of the organisational activities, it has been found that there has been significant increase in the membership of the Union during the last three years – from 1,10,919 in 2000-01 to 1,57,229 (incomplete) in 2003-04. Self-critically examining the state of affairs in the organisation, the report emphasised the need for streamlining the organisation at all levels.

In the discussion that followed 33 delegates, including 7 women, took part. The report was unanimously adopted after the state secretary gave his reply and agreed to incorporate most of the suggestions which came up during the discussion.

OTHER PROGRAMMES

The conference, inspite of its tight programme carved out two hours time for a discussion on the Alternative Agricultural Policy jointly prepared by the All India Kisan Sabha and the All India Agricultural Workers Union. Hannan Mollah introduced the document and explained its main features.

Greeting the conference Narayan Kar, state secretariat member of the CPI(M), expressed his satisfaction at the success of the TKMU in organising the agricultural workers in large numbers. He devoted most of the time of his speech in explaining the development programme of the Left Front government, especially in agriculture. He also noted the serious efforts being given by the Left Front government for the creation of job opportunities in the rural areas.

The chairman of the Preparatory Committee and the state’s higher education minister, Keshab Majumber, while welcoming the delegates, expressed the hope that the conference will help TKMU consolidate its organisational strength and advance further.

The conference was greeted by fraternal delegates, including Nitai Biswas (AIKS), Madhab Saha (CITU), Basana Das (AIDWA), Gunapada Jamatia (GMP), Ratan Bhowmik (Tripura Scheduled caste Coordination Committee), Dilip Datta (DYFI), and Pradip Saha (SFI).

Besides the condolence resolution, the resolutions which were passed by the conference include resolution against liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation (LPG), supporting the call for general strike on February24, given by the central Trade Unions, against communalism and terrorism, for equal rights for the women, demanding a comprehensive central legislation for agricultural workers and for ensuring victory of the Left Front candidates from Tripura in the coming Lok Sabha election. The conference also adopted an 11-point charter of demands which included the demand for the enhancement of the daily wages of the agricultural workers to Rs 60 and the implementation of the Tripura Agricultural Workers Act, 1986 without further delay.

The credential report showed that out of 329 delegates, 183 came from agricultural labour and another 113 from peasant families. The monthly family income of 251 delegates is Rs 1000 or less. As many as 120 delegates are elected representatives, including one member of legislative assembly, 1 Sabhadhipati of Zilla Parishad, 2 Block level Panchayat Samiti chairpersons, and 21 Gaon Pradhans.

The conference elected a 65 member state council (3 seats were kept vacant for future co-option) and a 21 member Executive Committee. Saroj Chanda and Bhanulal Saha were re-elected president and secretary respectively.