Kirti Kisan Union conducts massive rally in Moga on issue of Canal Water

protest 3

 The burning desire of people to resolve the problems of agriculture and water crisis in the Punjab was manifested at it’s highest pitch by the massive rally held by the Kirti Kisan Union at Dana Mandi in Moga today .Tens of thousands of farmers congregated in a massive rally organised by Kirti Kisan Union . Farmers from fifteen districts of Majha, Malwa and Doaba, all the three regions of the state thronged in the rally.

It gave a fitting warning to the Bhagwant Mann government o stop exploiting people’s emotions on the issue of water, to play the rule and divide game.

A strong demand for canal water supplied to every farm-clean drinking water to every house, transforming agriculture development model and opening of Attari and Hussainiwala road corridors for India-Pakistan trade were main issues addressed. The rally was presided over by the union’s state president Nirbhai Singh Dhudike, vice presidents Jitinder Singh Chhina, Harmesh Singh Dhesi, senior leader Satbir Singh Sultani and woman farmer leader Chinderpal Kaur Rode.

The rally pertinently also dealt with the issue of dismantling the federal structure by the BJP government and the imperative need to challenge it.

. “The claims of crop diversification by the central and state governments to solve the agricultural crisis have become mere shallow advertisements. The basic root of the agricultural crisis lies in the pro-corporate agricultural development model of the green revolution, which has created a crisis of water and environment along with the heavy indebtedness of the farmers. This model needs to be replaced with a self-sustaining, toxic-free nature-friendly and profitable farming model” said Rajinder Singh deep Singh wala, General Secretary of KKU while addressing the large gathering. He emphasised that the Kirti Kisan Union has also embarked on a campaign to demand debt relief as well as purchase guarantee law at MSP with Swaminathan formula, while at the same time it is also demanding from the Governments to conduct water conservation and adopt nature farming.

Addressing the rally, State Press Secretary Raminder Singh Patiala said that on one hand the water crisis in the state is intensifying day by day, but on the other hand the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is permitting more access of water supply to Rajasthan. He asserted the imperative need of the slogan ‘canal water to every farm – clean potable water to every house’. He urged the people of the state to take this slogan to every nook and corner. While raising the need to solve the problem of river water disputes according to riparian principle, the farmer leaders said that the demolished canal system in the state needs to be repaired and re constructed. It is imperative to expand the network of canal system to ensure that every farm house has access to water. He demanded a constructive policy to recharge the underground water and to prevent dumping of polluted water by industries and cities into the rivers and the ground.

Kirti Kisan Union women’s wing leader Hardeep Kaur Kotla and state leader Surinder Singh Bains said that the BJP government at the center is venturing in business negotiations with Pakistan through Gujarat, but by imposing restrictions on trade with Pakistan through the road corridor from Punjab it is behaving like a dictator. Demanding the opening of Attari and Hussainiwala corridors for trade, they said that if road trade with West Asia is opened through the above corridors, not only Punjab but all the farmers of North India would prosper and the country’s sagging economy can also be revived. The speakers also condemned the uprooting of the settlers and being denied ownership rights. Accusing the Modi government of the Center of subduing the federal structure of the country, they urged the farmers to fight every possible inch to protect the rights of the state.

The rally was also addressed by the state committee members Jaswinder Singh jhabelwali, Santokh Singh Sandhu, Balwinder Singh Bhullar, Tarsem Singh Bannemal, Jarnail Singh Jahangir, Bhupinder Singh Longowal, Jagtar Singh Bhinder, Bhupinder Singh Waraich, Sukhchain Singh, Sukhdev Singh Sahansra, Nachhatar Singh Tarn Taran, Balwinder Singh and Chamkaur. Singh Rode etc.

Harsh Thakor is freelance journalist who has toured Punjab and covered mass movements’ .Thanks Raminder Singh Patiala, for information.

Tags:

Support Countercurrents

Countercurrents is answerable only to our readers. Support honest journalism because we have no PLANET B.
Become a Patron at Patreon

Join Our Newsletter

GET COUNTERCURRENTS DAILY NEWSLETTER STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX

Join our WhatsApp and Telegram Channels

Get CounterCurrents updates on our WhatsApp and Telegram Channels

Related Posts

Join Our Newsletter


Annual Subscription

Join Countercurrents Annual Fund Raising Campaign and help us

Latest News