Farmers Union Wants Feb.16 Stir to Succeed

Hyderabad: A poster calling for a Rural Bharat bandh by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha and trade unions on February 16 against the “anti-farmer and workers policies of the Union government” was released here on Saturday. The speakers called on workers, farmers, women and students to make the bandh a success.

Telangana Rythu Sangham state general secretary T. Sagar said at the event: “The Centre should announce MSP (minimum support price) as per the Swaminathan Committee recommendations. A law should be enacted guaranteeing this along with implementing a loan waiver scheme.”

He demanded that along with increasing the NREGA work days to 200, wages should be increased to `600 per day per person. While implementing the 2013 Land Acquisition Act corporatisation of land should be banned,” Sagar said.

R. Venkatramulu, state general secretary, Telangana Agriculture Workers Union, said, “Minimum wage should be fixed at `26,000 and the anti-worker labour code should be done away with. Privatisation of railways, defence and power enterprises should be abandoned. Old pension scheme should be reinstated and the facility should be extended to both organized and unorganized workers.”

He sought the dismissal of Union minister of state Ajay Mishra Teni to avoid undue influence on the investigation in the case of his son reportedly running over four farmers and a journalist during a protest against the now-withdrawn farm laws.

Mohd Shoban, state joint secretary of the rythu sangham, opined that the MSP for milk should be fixed at `50 per litre. Those cultivating government land should be given rights over them, he added.