The agricultural labourers of Punjab’s Malwa region continue their struggle against the severe repression unleashed on their movement for homestead land. As we go to press, 10 CPI(ML) activists still remain in jail, though the State Secretary Rajvinder Singh Rana and some other leaders eventually have been released.

On 1st July, 2009, a two member delegation comprising of Haryana’s Party in-charge Comrade Prem Singh Gahlawat and Punjab’s State Committee member Com. Tarsem Jodhan met the Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal at Chandigarh demanding his intervention to ensure: (1) distribution of land to the Dalits, (2) release of remaining people from jails and withdrawal of all cases, (3) a stop to the practice of re-arresting those released on bail by citing other charges. They also met the DGP and demanded the transfer of the SSP Mansa, and the latter assured that he would order an investigation by the IG. Having met the District Collector of Mansa, they also met several jailed comrades in jail and in the Court.

A petition has been filed in the HC demanding compensation of Rs. 10,000 per head, to be paid from the pockets of the police officials responsible for the illegal arrests of the over 1300 agricultural workers.

On 19 July a Mansa-level Cadre Convention as held which was addressed by AICCTU general Secretary and Punjab Party in-charge Comrade Swapan Mukherjee, youth leader Kanwaljeet Singh who had just been released from jail and other comrades. State-wide conventions have been held at 50 places all over Punjab at block, and tehsil level, jointly addressed by leaders of CPI(ML) Liberation, CPI(ML) ND, and MCPI.

On 24 July, RYA will hold a Convention in Chandigarh followed by a Press Conference with women and children who had been illegally jailed. On 31 July, AISA-RYA will hold a March in Mansa on the occasion of the Martyrdom Day of Udham Singh.

On 26 July, AIPWA and Mazdoor Mukti Morcha will hold a demonstration at Mansa district demanding homestead plots, job cards and withdrawal of false cases. A State-level cadre convention will be held at Raikot, Ludhiana on 28 July.

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EPW on Punjab Struggle

“The recent arrest of over 1,300 agricultural labourers and labour leaders in Punjab necessitates a deeper look into the plight of agricultural labourers, predominantly dalits, in the state of Punjab. … The agitation is also gaining momentum due to official failure to implement a section of the Land Consolidation Act of 1961 which permits one-third of panchayat land to be leased out to agricultural workers for cultivation. … The official estimates show that the panchayat departments have about 8 lakh acres of land, out of which 1.62 lakh acres are cultivable, which has been leased out to farmers. The remaining land of 6.38 lakh acres has been falling under canals, ponds, tanks, grounds and roads. According to the Land Consolidation Act 1961, one- third of this 1.62 lakh acres of land should be leased out to agricultural labour at a nominal rate of rent. But this provision only exists on paper. In Punjab, according to unofficial estimates, some landlords occupy about 30,000 acres of common land, land allotted for waste disposal, etc. ….

The following policy measures must be taken. First of all, the housing plots of at least five marlas of land, as promised earlier, should be given to the agricultural labourers so that they feel secure and can sleep under a roof with minimum dignity. …a debt waiver scheme, like the one given to farmers, should also be launched for these people. …the NREGA scheme must be efficiently implemented in all the districts of the state. …In the agricultural sector, provision of an eight-hour workday, weekend holidays, and a minimum wage rate should be formulated and efficiently implemented. Moreover, the wage rates fixed by deputy commissioners must be revised from time to time in view of inflation and improvement in the general living standard of the society. After registration of these labourers, life insurance and health insurance at government premium should be provided so that economic help may be extended to these people at the time of accident and illness. Moreover, an agricultural labour commission should be set up for addressing their multi-pronged problems.

(From ‘Survival of Agricultural Labour in Punjab: A Burning Question,’ Sukhpal Singh, EPW, July 18, 2009 vol xliv no 29)

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Frontline on Punjab Struggle

“In 2006, there was an organised attempt by Dalits in Nandgarh village in Mansa district to demand higher wages, but they faced a social boycott. Finally, they had to give up as they needed the landlord’s support in every area of life. … The villages are blatantly divided into caste-based regions, with the Dalit workers pushed towards the underdeveloped part and forced to live in ghettoes. …Most of the agricultural workers said they had demanded their share of land at the panchayat meetings, but to no avail. Only then had they decided to occupy land by themselves….…In such a socio-political context, the occupation of land by the landless was something waiting to happen. The present “encroachments” also seem to indicate a strong labour movement in Punjab and the rise of political assertion among Dalits.

(‘Promised Land,’ Ajoy Ashirwad Mahaprashasta, reporting from Mansa in Frontline, Volume 26 - Issue 14 :: Jul. 04-17, 2009)