AIKS condemns the barbaric killing of four jute farmers in police firing in Assam’s Darrang District on 10th October, 2011. We express heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and express solidarity with the peasantry who are fighting for a just cause.
The farmers were demanding fair and remunerative prices for their jute crop. Jute farmers have been pushed to dire straits by extremely low Minimum Support Prices (MSP) announced over time. The Congress Government in the Assam as well as the Congress-led UPA Government has been insensitive to the plight of the jute farmers and the farmers have not been getting even the meager MSP fixed by the Government. Since the Government has shirked from its responsibility of procurement, the private buyers have been given a free hand to exploit the situation. They are paying as low as Rs.700/- per quintal only for jute although the Government announced Rs.1675/- per quintal. In Assam the Jute Corporation of India has fixed the price between Rs.1350/- to Rs.1675/- per quintal. It is notable here that the AIKS had demanded a MSP of Rs.3000/- per quintal for 2011-12.
AIKS demands immediate action against the police officials responsible for the brutal killings. Appropriate compensation must be paid immediately to families of each of the deceased farmers. We demand that the Central Government immediately announce an MSP of Rs.3000/- per quintal and the Government must procure directly from the farmers. Strong deterrent action must be taken against the traders who are exploiting the farmers.
A delegation of AIKS Assam Unit will be visiting the families of the victims to express solidarity and also meet the concerned authorities to press for the above demands.
The CPI (M) has strongly decried the role of the police in the incident. In a statement, the CPI (M) said that the farmers were compelled to resort to agitation seeking just price for their produce as they had been languishing for not getting the minimum price in return for their toil. “We condemn the police firing…it exposes the anti-people face of the State Government which is giving the agitating farmers bullets instead of mitigating their woes through an appropriate mechanism,” it said, adding that it wanted the guilty police officials to be punished besides adequate compensation to the families of victims.
The farmers were demanding fair and remunerative prices for their jute crop. Jute farmers have been pushed to dire straits by extremely low Minimum Support Prices (MSP) announced over time. The Congress Government in the Assam as well as the Congress-led UPA Government has been insensitive to the plight of the jute farmers and the farmers have not been getting even the meager MSP fixed by the Government. Since the Government has shirked from its responsibility of procurement, the private buyers have been given a free hand to exploit the situation. They are paying as low as Rs.700/- per quintal only for jute although the Government announced Rs.1675/- per quintal. In Assam the Jute Corporation of India has fixed the price between Rs.1350/- to Rs.1675/- per quintal. It is notable here that the AIKS had demanded a MSP of Rs.3000/- per quintal for 2011-12.
AIKS demands immediate action against the police officials responsible for the brutal killings. Appropriate compensation must be paid immediately to families of each of the deceased farmers. We demand that the Central Government immediately announce an MSP of Rs.3000/- per quintal and the Government must procure directly from the farmers. Strong deterrent action must be taken against the traders who are exploiting the farmers.
A delegation of AIKS Assam Unit will be visiting the families of the victims to express solidarity and also meet the concerned authorities to press for the above demands.
The CPI (M) has strongly decried the role of the police in the incident. In a statement, the CPI (M) said that the farmers were compelled to resort to agitation seeking just price for their produce as they had been languishing for not getting the minimum price in return for their toil. “We condemn the police firing…it exposes the anti-people face of the State Government which is giving the agitating farmers bullets instead of mitigating their woes through an appropriate mechanism,” it said, adding that it wanted the guilty police officials to be punished besides adequate compensation to the families of victims.
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