Samyukta Kisan Morcha protest against the grabbing of their land in Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh as corporates want it for an airport.
An attack was launched on the farmers’ land, led by the SDM, Teshildar, Provincial Armed Constabulary, and the police, without declaring any notice in Jamua Hariram Village with the aim to take their land for the building of a new International airport.
When the farmers retaliated in self-defense the police deployed a lathi charge, severely injuring 2 women. (Sunita and Savitri)and 2 men (Kapil and Sanjiv Jadhav).In Gadanpur village as a result of tension Lalllan Ram succumbed and so did Jawahir Yadav of Jigni village. Protesting on small scale villagers lodged a dharna.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha constituents, Kisan Sangram Samiti, Rihai Manch, Jan Mukti Morcha, Akhil Bharti Kisan Mahasabha, Sanyukt Kisan-Mazdur Sangh, Jai Kisan Andolan were participants in a united resistance to seeking justice.-organizing solidarity.
In a high school in Azamgarh from 3-5, a meeting was conducted by the organizations, explaining how the corporates’ goal was to seize their lands to construct an airport explaining how the corporates wanted to control everyone and while they would take over their lands, they would also seek to take over the railways, mines etc.
Prominent activists involved were Dr.Ravindranath Rai, Jayprakash Narayan, Rajeev Yadav, Rahul Vidhyarti, Munna Lal, Sunita, Sumitra, Dukharan Ram, Vinod Yadav, AvdeshYadav, Pramod, Asish Upadhaya, Ambika Patel, Komal Maurya, and Radheshyam.
The speakers detailed how pro-globalization policies denied fair remunerative prices, affordable seeds, and land to cultivate for self-sustenance and incurred huge debts. They also touched on the deployment of the bulldozer to raze Muslim houses to the ground. In the view of the organizers, the labour of the peasants and workers was bought at the cheapest price, reducing them to mere commodities.
Impressive the manner the oppressed farmers, especially women displayed a tenacious spirit, in fighting the tyrants, staging a most qualitative protest A genuine polarisation is being crystallized to challenge anti-people forces. Many at the grassroots are integrating to support the farmers’ movement.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha has planned to stage a central dharna on October 22nd at Azamgarh, to combat the nefarious attacks on land rights and assault on activists. It pledged slogans of “Never surrendering land at any costs,” Land is yours and mine-not of anyone’s fathers.”It would also address the topic of Jal, Jangal, and Zameen, which was being robbed from Adivasis in Chattisgarh and Jharkhand, and relate it with land issues in regions like Balia, Kaymaur, Chandoli, and Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh. The organizers stated that it was imperative to unite all sections of society, eradicating divisions of caste, and religion.