Whole Punjab, except BJP, has arisen in determined struggle against the calculated move of Modi Government to hand over the lands of farmers and thus the whole agrarian sector to their patron corporates. Peasants, agricultural workers, arhtyas (small commission agents, middlemen, who arrange sale of crops and attend to day to day needs of peasants by providing them need based loans) and other sections of people related to agriculture. Trade Unions, intellectuals, women organisations (NFIW and others), youth and student organisations (including AIYF and AISF) and writers (including PWA and IPTA) and advocates and others have opposed the Black Acts and supported the movement of farmers. Not only supported but participated in the calls given by peasant organisations. Intellectuals leading the writer’s organisations have even tried to bring all the struggling peasant unions to common platform to mount total united struggle against Modi Government’s anti-peasant and anti-people and pro-corporate policies.

The peasants struggle has forced the Railways to stop running of trains in Punjab, passenger as well as goods trains. They sat on dharnas at railway lines. When the shortage of coal threatened the thermal plants to close production of electricity, the peasants agreed to vacate the lines for goods trains, but not allowed the trains to corporate plants and storehouses. It may be recalled that the peasants have been constantly sitting before corporate petrol pumps and toll plazas to challenge the laws favouring corporates and intended to hand over agrarian lands to them. At this the central government stopped all trains and went on the way to put pressure for running of all trains and thus tried putting the state government against peasants struggle which obviously was rejected by the state government and Kisan organisations.

The united movement of farmers against the black acts forced the Akali Dal to come out of the Central Government and then from NDA and forced the state government to pass its own bills for making the central laws ineffective in Punjab. The three main parties of the state ruling Congress, opposition AAP, and NDA’s former ally Shiromani Akali Dal and Lok Insaf Party supported the bills and went unanimously to the Governor for giving approval. But next day AAP and Akali Dal made volta face and targeted the state government and did not go to meet Rashtrapati, which had actually not given the time to let meet the legislator’s delegation.

Kisan representatives were called to Delhi but no minister was present in meeting whereas eight minsters were deputed to convince farmers directly by virtual or otherwise conferences. The peasant leaders walked out of the meeting and tore the copies of the black acts. In Punjab the farmers did not allow the BJP leaders to address the public at many places. They are organizing dharnas before BJP leader’s houses. Several BJP leaders coming from farmer community have resigned from party and joined the movement.

BJP is bent upon provoking trouble in the state and then demanding Rashtrapati Raj in Punjab, which the Punjab people will not accept and the repression that might follow will make the situation volatile and fraught with dangers. Their leaders are making irresponsible statements with allegations that Kisan movement is by ‘urban naxals’ and ‘middlemen’ etc which evoked strong protest from all the quarters. The central government has stopped Rural Development Fund to Punjab and not allowing goods trains to Punjab with mall intention of squeezing the Punjab Economy and thus miscalculating to pressurise the peasants and state government.

The peasants organised total Chakka Jam on 5th November in all over Punjab on all roads and petrol pumps owned by corporates and toll plazas. Now they are in full gear to 26-27th November action at Delhi. The trade unions have also called all India strike on 26th for their own demands as well as for supporting the struggling peasants. Peasants are preparing for Black Diwali.

Punjab Government (despite its anti-people and anti-democratic policies and actions, against which Left is fighting unitedly)) is not taking any action against the peasants, is supporting their struggle, also caught in dilemma over the prospect of closure of thermal plants which may lead to black out in many areas. Even then S. Sukhbir Badal and AAP leaders are harping on so-called ‘fixed match’ between Captain Amrinder and Central Government, which is not being swallowed by Punjabis, because Delhi CM of AAP has never opposed these Black Acts, not supported the peasant movement, did not come to support them in Punjab and Akali Dal had actually supported the ordinances and bills before being forced to save its base in the light of great movement which is also being participated by women and youth and other mass organisations.

Now again the centre has invited peasant representatives to meet the central agricultural minister and railway minister. The peasants know that Modi Government is playing tricks to scuttle the movement which is spreading fast on all India level and is determined to get the corporate favouring laws amended according to their interests. Even then, they are inclined to attend the meeting, not to let the Government blame them baselessly.

Bant Singh Brar, Secretary Punjab State Council CPI and .Bhupinder Samber, Working President of AIKS have warned the BJP Government not to play with fire and accept the demands of peasantry which are actually in interests of whole country and economy. They are confident that their organisations will play significant role in making success the 26-27th November action at Delhi. They urged all the political parties of Punjab to rise above narrow interests and fight jointly to save the peasants and economy and Punjab from RSS agenda of suppressing minorities and democratic rights. (IPA Service)