Rural Workers Rally against Punjab Govt’s Betrayal of Promises
Thousands of Workers under the banner of Mazdoor Mukti Morcha marched at Mansa in Punjab against the AAP government’s betrayal of promises made during elections. Major demands were to fulfil the promise of payment of Rs 1000 per month to women. The speakers addressing the gathering narrated that the Man Sarkar has betrayed the promises made to the poor and downtrodden of Punjab. The promises of monthly honorarium to women and compensation to flood displaced has become a mockery.
Many displaced due to floods don’t have a roof on their head and are forced to survive in makeshift tents. It was demanded that rural workers affected by floods should be compensated with Rs 5 lakh for collapsed houses, Rs 3 lakh for repair of damaged houses and Rs 1 lakh for loss of livestock; along with a subsistence allowance and 200 days of work in MGNREGA. The MGNREGA daily wage should also be raised to Rs 700. Thousands of women suffering at the hands of microfinance companies and due to cheating of financier RSG foundation should get justice in the form of credit waiver.
The leaders pointed out that the budget of the state govt of Punjab is Rs 2 lakh Crore and even if demands of compensation to women and giving additional days of public work for workers are to be met, it will cost only Rs 15,000 Crore. If the state govt of Punjab fails to address the promises made to the women, workers, poor, farmers and youth of Punjab, then a statewide movement will be organised.
The speakers also warned the Central government and the Governor against the conspiracies hatched to topple the elected government of the state. Instead of fulfilling Constitution mandated duties, the Governor of Punjab was threatening the state government which suits the BJP’s political manipulations.
The Government of Punjab has failed to stop the illicit drugs trade in the state. Parvinder Singh Jhote who pioneered the anti-drug campaign has been jailed for the last one and a half months in a false case and a big social movement has gathered momentum demanding his release. But the government has not released him.
The rally condemned the Modi Govt for increased sense of insecurity among women in the country who feel largely insecure because of violence by ruling party backed outfits and goons as we have seen in Uttar Pradesh and Manipur.
Leaders from fraternal organisations Punjab Kisan Union, AISA, RYA also expressed their solidarity with the protestors’ demands. Despite police attempts to stop them, protestors reached the Commissioner office and handed over the memorandum to the DM. Thousands of individual memorandums of women demanding Rs One Thousand per month honorarium were also submitted.
