“This is a shame that in Haryana, Kurki (land attachment) notices have been served on more than 70 thousands peasants and on other hand CAG has exposed huge scam in farm loan waiver of the UPA government”, denounced Brinda Karat, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member, addressing a big rally at the Red Square in Hissar. She also announced that CPI(M) and All India Kisan Sabha will reject these notices and decided not to let the authorities enforce them.
Earlier in the day she also addressed a rally at Siwani. At Siwani, in an interaction with her, some peasants brought to her notice the Kurki notices issued and pasted on the walls of their houses by the authorities. Despite the Jatha arriving late by a few hours, hundreds of people waited at the Siwani Sub Divisional Complex to greet the Jatha. Here a dalit rape victim’s mother also met CPI(M) leader and brought to her notice the kind of problems she and her daughter are facing in pursuing the case.
Addressing the gathering Brinda Karal expressed concern at the plight of farmers in this water-scarce area and raised the issue of adequate crop insurance and payment of compensation for the damaged crops. CPI(M) state secretary and Central committee member Inderjeet Singh, CPI(M) Central committee member and leader of CPI(M) group in Rajasthan assembly Amraram and state leaders of party also addressed the rally.
Answering a volley of questions from the press regarding fresh exposure of Robert Vadra’s dubious land deals, Brinda Karat demanded “an independent inquiry” into all the charges. She also pointed out that the major culprit in such land deals is the dubious land acquisition policy being put in practice by various state governments and especially the Congress governments of Haryana and Rajasthan. She underlined that trying to limit its attack on individuals, BJP wants to protect such policies.
Brinda Karat also pointed out that wherever the Jatha has gone, the question of poor being deprived of BPL cards has been brought to its notice. She also pointed the irony of mountains of grain rotting in government warehouses in Punjab and Haryana and poor being forced to sleep on empty stomach. Totally rejecting the differentiation of APL and BPL she expressed determination to “snatch the right to food security from the unwilling hands of the government”. Brinda Karat also reiterated the demand of universal public distribution system and 35 kgs of grain at the rate of not more than Rs 2 to all the families every month.
The Jatha, starting from Sikar, in the morning reached Rajgadh on Haryana-Rajasthan border to a rousing reception. Earlier, the Jatha was also greeted at the entrance of Jhunjhunu district. Later, in a procession of motor cycles and four wheelers, Jatha was taken to Jhunjhunu party office. At Rajgadh expressing gratitude for the warm welcome to the Jatha, Brinda Karat in a brief address also expressed support to the struggle of Anganwadi workers of the area who are demanding payment of their back wages. Representatives of Anganwadi workers also handed her a memorandum with their demands.
The day ended with an impressive public meeting at Bhagat Singh park, Hansi. Before addressing the gathering Brinda Karat and other Jatha members payed floral tributes to Shaheed Bhagat Singh's statue in the park.
