The All India Agrarian and Rural Labor Association (AIARLA) held its National Executive meeting via Zoom on 16 August 2020. More than 50 leaders from 15 States participated in the meeting. Sharing the discussions and decisions of the meeting, AIARLA national General Secretary Dhirendra Jha said that starvation and unemployment are increasing in rural areas and among the poor in all States. The situation in Bihar is among the gravest but the Bihar government has heedless of the problems of the people and busy with preparations to steal the election. The already prevalent rural distress has been multiplied by several times by the Corona Lockdown.
The Garib Kalyan Yojana (Poor Welfare Scheme) and the Rojgar Yojana (Employment Scheme) announced by the Prime Minister are shut up inside government files. AIARLA has planned a campaign from 16 August to 15 September during which leaders and cadres will go campaigning door-to-door in villages and expose the BJP-JDU government. Our activists will explain how the Election Commission has become a string-puppet of the BJP. The poor have no food to eat; how can they access mobiles and internet and participate in virtual campaigning? This is a conspiracy to shut the poor out of the election.
Observing Corona preventive protocol, AIARLA cadres will meet people and get to know issues related to their livelihood and employment. On 31 August (at the Block level) and on 15 September (at District HQs) the rural poor will organize a human chain.
Speaking on the occasion CPIML senior leader Swadesh Bhattacharya said that the people of the country, especially the working class, are in deep crisis and the ruling class is playing power games with their troubles. In this hour of crisis we should unite and raise the livelihood issues of the people strongly.
The following demands were made through the AIARLA National Executive meeting:
1. Rs 10000 Corona Lockdown Allowance for all workers including MNREGA and migrant workers.
2. Free rations for all till December.
3. Full loan waiver for women, farmers and small entrepreneurs.
