Kisan-Mazdoor Rally in Delhi latest updates: The farmers and labourers are marching in protest in Delhi against government’s labour laws. They demand that all workers should be given a minimum wage of at least Rs 18,000 per month and there should be food security as well. Tapan Sen, General Secretary of CITU, addressed the farmers and labourers at Parliament Street. He announced that their workers will join the Kisan Long March in November. Sansad Marg, Janpath and KG Marg are closed for traffic movement due to procession/demonstration and motorists are advised to take Baba Kharak Singh Marg and Ashoka Road as alternative route, the traffic police tweeted. The demands of the protesters include effective implementation of labour laws, minimum wage guarantee, more employment opportunities and recognition of one crore Anganwadi and ASHA workers as an organised workforce, The Indian Express reported. The 5 September protest by workers and farmers at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi will not be the last rally, organisers said on Tuesday, warning that they would intensify their struggle against the “anti-people” policies of the Centre. The rally - Mazdoor Kisan Sangharsh March - is being organised jointly by CITU, AIKS and AIAWU, organisations and unions affiliated to the Communist Party of India (Marxist). [caption id=“attachment_5117791” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
Protestors participate in the Kisan Mazdoor Rally in Delhi.[/caption] “This is the first time…after Independence that farmers and workers will jointly participate in a rally against the government,” CITU general secretary Tapan Sen told reporters, adding, “And it will not be the last one of our efforts.” “We will announce the second phase of our struggle and war against the government, whose anti-people policies are affecting the poor people of our country. This government is only making policies keeping in mind the interests of the corporate and the rich,” Sen said. Last week, the organisers said they were expecting more than three lakh people from across the country at the rally. Preparations for the rally had been under way for several days but incessant rain over the last few days threw all that into disarray, damaging the makeshift shelters at Ramlila Maidan, the venue for the protest. However, the thousands of participants who have come from all over the country appeared confident that the rally would be successful in highlighting their issues of concern. People part of the “Long March” of farmers from Nashik to Mumbai earlier 2018 are also participating in this rally. The march of farmers was led by All India Kisan Sabha and was, among other demands, for proper implementation of Maharashtra government’s loan waiver scheme. “The BJP government in Maharashtra fooled us. I have come to Delhi to raise my voice against the anti-farmer policies of the Centre. I will not stop till I get the right price for my crops,” one of the protester said. “We realised that the state of farmers is seriously bad. We told them that the time has come to raise our voice against the government’s policies,” another protester from Kerala said. The farmers and workers, participating in the rally, want remunerative prices for crops as per the Swaminathan Committee recommendations, debt waiver of all farmers and agricultural workers, minimum wage of not less than Rs 18,000 per month for workers.
Kisan-Mazdoor Rally in Delhi LIVE updates: Red flags cover road in capital as thousands march to Parliament Street
Kisan-Mazdoor Rally in Delhi LIVE updates: The farmers and labourers are marching in protest in Delhi against government’s labour laws. They demand that all workers should be given a minimum wage of at least Rs 18,000 per month
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Farmers and labourers march towards Ramlila Maidan in Delhi
There are huge jams on nearly all arterial roads around the Parliament Street in Delhi as protestors continue their march.
Farmers demand implementation of Swaminathan Commission
Members of the Kisan Mazdoors demand remunerative prices for the peasants as per Swaminathan Committee recommendations. The protesters are also demanding the timely public procurement of the farmers’ produce.
Streets in Delhi streaked red as thousands march to Parliament street
Kisan Sabha General Secretary Hannan Mollah addresses the rally
Protesters seek ban on forward trading in essential commodities
A congregation of farmers and labourers, backed by the Communist Party of India Marxist, have sought that the government should curb the increasing prices of essential commodities and food grains. They also sought a ban on forward trading of essential commodities
Protestors demand minimum wage of not less than 18,000 per month for all workers, food security
The farmers and labourers are marching in protest in Delhi against government’s labour laws. They demand that all workers should be given a minimum wage of at least Rs 18,000 per month and there should be food security as well.
In Pics: Protestors throng Delhi streets to demand for minimum wage, worker representation
The farmers and labourers are protesting against the ’neo-liberal polices’ of the central government and asking for revision of labour laws.
CITU president addressed protestors at Parliament Street; pledged support for Kisan Long March in November
Tapan Sen, General Secretary of CITU, addressed the farmers and labourers at Parliament Street. He announced that their workers will join the Kisan Long March in November.
CITU president Hemlata addressed the protestors gathered for the Mazdoor-Kisan Sangharsh rally
As protestors started off the march towards Parliament Street, CITU president Hemlata addressed their gathering at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi.
Delhi Traffic Police issues advisory in view of the ‘Kisan-Mazdoor Rally’
Sansad Marg,Janpath and KG Marg are closed for traffic movement due to procession/demonstration and motorists are advised to take Baba Kharak Singh Marg and Ashoka Road as alternative route, the traffic police tweeted.
Kisan Mazdoor Rally starts off in Delhi
CPM’s official Twitter handle tweeted pictures of protestors taking out the Kisan Mazdoor rally from Delhi’s Ramlila grounds.
CPM leaders meet protestors; AAP govt provided medical facilities at Ramlila Maidan
Left leaders Sitaram Yechury, Brinda Karat and Prakash Karat met protesters at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Tuesday evening.
Meanwhile, a four-member team of the Delhi government’s Mobile Health Scheme gave painkillers and diarrhoea medicines to the protesters. “From 10 am to 5 pm, we have treated 699 people,” said Dr Vineet Kumar Sahu, a medical officer deployed at the ground, according to The Indian Express’ report .
Two lakh more protestors expected to arrive from Punjab and Haryana; organisers to house them in three gurudwaras
As lakhs of supporters are expected to arrive in the city today, organisers have said that most of those coming early from Punjab and Haryana will be housed at three large gurudwaras, at Rakab Ganj Sahib, Sis Ganj Sahib and Bangla Sahib.
Around 30,000 more protestors expected to join the rally, organisers ask people to lodge at railway stations
As 30,000 more people from Maharashtra, and an equal number from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are expected to arrive in the capital for the worker-farmer rally, organisers are scrambling to look after the lodging arrangements. Even Kerala is expected to send about 6,000 participants for the mega protest.
“We have asked those who are coming from Maharashtra to stay in the large halls at the railway station. People who had participated in the Farmers Long March to Mumbai in March would also have to stay at the station for now,” AIKS general secretary Hannan Mollah told The Hindu.
Organisers forced to look for alternate accommodation for protestors as Ramlila Maidan gets inundated
Organisers are trying find alternative accommodation in train stations and gurudwaras for the protestors as the ground is flooded. “We originally expected to house 80,000 people in Ramlila Maidan but now we will have to reduce it to 50,000,” Manoj Kumar Sirswal, an All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) coordinator working at the camp told The Hindu.
Arrangements made at Ramlila Maidan for incoming protestors but heavy rains flood the ground
Delhi’s late monsoon rainfall has inundated the Ramlila Maidan, forcing the farmers and workers arriving for the rally to abandon 60% of their tent space, The Hindu reported .
Meanwhile, state-wise camps have been set up at the maidan for the arriving protestors, along with a medical camp and a storage area for protest tools.
Protestors to demand better labour laws, minimum wage and workforce recognition for Anganwadi workers
The demands of the protesters include effective implementation of labour laws, minimum wage guarantee, more employment opportunities and recognition of one crore Anganwadi and ASHA workers as an organised workforce, The Indian Express reported.
Worker-farmer rally organised by Kisan Sabha, CPM backed trade union; Maha farmers also participating
The worker-farmer rally, which has been organised by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) and All India Agriculture Workers Union (AIAWU) — affiliated to the CPM, will be held from Parliament Street to Jantar Mantar on Wednesday.
Those who participated in the Kisan March in Maharashtra in March 2018 will also join the protest.