PRESS RELEASE
Bhoomi Adhikar Andolan
Victory for united struggle
against draconian Land
Ordinance!
In Solidarity with September 2nd Nation-wide Strike and Ongoing People's Struggles in Narmada Valley, Sonbhadra
A unified opposition has successfully forced the BJP-led NDA government to shelve the anti-farmer Land Ordinance that was going to be re-promulgated for the fourth time on August 31st, 2015. The anti-farmer law had grave implications for majority population's livelihood and the country's food security.
Opposition to the undemocratic Land Ordinance saw the coming together of various peasant and unions, people's movements, farmers' organisations and political parties for a stiff consolidated opposition that mobilized lakhs of people across the country. The authoritarian way in which the government has tried to do away with crucial aspects of consent and Social Impact Assessment clearly represented a corporate driven growth model that has deepened the agrarian crisis, driving thousands of farmers to suicide.
While the process of amending the 2013 Land Act is still under consideration through the Joint Parliamentary Committee, the struggle by people of the country who depend on land continues. Mass organisations across the country will now take on the challenge of consolidating opposition at the state-level to fight for land rights and counter attempts of subverting processes of informed consent, consultation and local governance. In this regard Bhumi Adhikar Andolan expresses solidarity with struggles against illegal acquisition of land, forced evictions and displacement in the Narmada Valley and Sonbhadra.
People of the Narmada Valley have been on a prolonged struggle and a Jeevan Adhikar Satyagraha has been going on for more than 2 weeks now. Even as thousands are yet to be rehabilitated, the Government is going ahead with increasing the height of the Sardar Sarovar Dam. Bhoomi Adhikar Andolan condemns this anti-people move which will adversely affect over 45,000 people and extends full solidarity with the struggle.
The UP Government has cracked down on the people protesting against the Kanhar dam and unleashed extreme repression in the region. Twice the police fired on peaceful protestors causing serious injuries to many activists. The leaders of the movement including Roma, Sukalo Gond and others from the community have been arrested on false charges and have been kept in the Mirzapur Jail for more than 2 months now. Bhumi Adhikar Andolan demands the immediate halt of repression in the region and unconditional release of all arrested activists.
The last one year of the BJP-led NDA Government has witnessed intense attack on workers' rights. The united Trade Union movement has been raising the issues of the working class against these anti-worker policies. Instead of considering their demands of minimum wages and social security, arresting the price rise, stopping privatisation of public sector units and protecting workers' rights, the government is bringing changes in the labour laws to give the employers freedom to hire and fire. It is doing away with all the hard-won rights of the workers including fixed working hours of 8 hours per day. All the Central Trade Unions have jointly announced All-India strike against the anti-people policies of the NDA Government on2nd September 2015. The Strike is also against Land Acquisition Bill, 2015 and against attacks on Public Distribution System, MGNREGA etc.
The Bhoomi Adhikar Andolan shall campaign against the anti-people policies of the BJP-led Central Government as well as different State Governments, observe a Demands Day on 1st September across the country and actively support the Strike on 2nd September through coordinated actions.
National Alliance for People's Movements (NAPM), All India Union of Forest Working People (AIUFWP), All India Kisan Sabha (Ajay Bhawan), All India Kisan Sabha (Canning Lane), Akhil Bhartiya Krishak Khet Mazdoor Sangathan, Lok Sangharsh Morcha, Narmada Bachao Andolan, Jan Sangharsh Samanvaya Samiti, Chhatisgarh Bachao Aandolan, Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, Sanyukt Kisan Sangharsh Samilti, INSAF, Delhi Solidarity Group, Sarvahara Jan Andolan, Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan, VTMS, Matu Jansangathan, Kisan Manch, Bhartiya Kisan Union and others
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