CPI(M)'s Northern Sangharsh Sandesh jatha was received in Rajasthan at Sangaria on 8th evening. After an enthusiastic reception, the Jatha travelled to reach Hanumangarh.
Addressing a large gathering at Bhagat Singh Chowk, Brinda Karat member of CPI(M) Polit Bureau expressed concern at the fate of Guaar producing peasants of twin districts of Hanumangarh and Ganganagar and other areas who are being deprived of a possibility of good rate. This is due to the intervention of state government favouring big export companies at the cost of peasants. It is to be noted that Guaar, used for extraction of shale gas on a large scale, last year fetched exporters Rs 33,000 a quintal in export market with help of speculative manipulation, while peasants were given only Rs 2,000. This year larger number of peasants with larger investment have gone for this crop hoping for a good rate. But traders have brought the rate down, and government instead of acting against speculators who manipulated market last year has helped crashing of export price. This has pushed the peasant's to an unending wait hoping for a better price to sell their produce. Government, too on its part is sitting idle and not offering any support in the form of Minimum Support Price.
Earlier, denouncing police repression on lawyers in Jaipur in strongest words, Brinda Karat, asked, “If this kind of treatment is meted out to protectors of law, one can well imagine what could await the poor or dalits who approach police with their complaints”.
At the same time reacting to questions regarding police force in Rajasthan resorting to agitational methods, she squarely blamed State government for things coming to such an pass. “Has the Rajasthan government acted on time, High Court may not have issued the orders they did and hence no police agitation”. Expressing full solidarity with the agitating lawyers, Brinda Karat demanded withdrawal of all the false cases foisted against agitators and urged that the State government should start talks to find a solution for their demands. She was interacting with media here this morning.
