09 October,2021 08:18 AM IST | Mumbai | Hemal Ashar
(From left) Meraj Siddiqui, Prakash Reddy, Shailendra Kamble of the CPI(M) and Firoze Mithiborwala at the conference. Pic/Ashish Raje
A number of city-based organisations are gearing up to support the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) - the ruling coalition government - and its clarion call for a statewide bandh on Monday (October 11). MVA has called for the bandh to show support to the farmers and to protest the recent violence in Lakhimpur Kheri.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of State (Home) Ajay Kumar Mishra said his son, Ashish Mishra, will appear before the police in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. The Uttar Pradesh government has dug in its heels, saying it will proceed with evidence and not bow to any kind of pressure.
Outfits such as the Samyukt Shetkari Kamgar Morcha (SSKM), which has various trade organisations including Jan Andolananchi Sangharsh Samiti and All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee in its corner, have endorsed MVA's call for bandh. Other groups that have slated to join include Hum Bharat Ke Log, Nation for Farmers, Central Vista Virodhi Bharat and Unorganised Workers Struggle Committee among others.
The representatives from these groups held a press conference at the Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh at Azad Maidan on Friday afternoon announcing their support.
One of the most pressing demands by the groups is the arrest of Ashish Mishra who, they said, was driving the car that mowed down the farmers and a journalist. Speaking about the violence, Firoze Mithiborwala from Hum Bharat Ke Log dismissed reports that said there was stone pelting and that the driver lost control of the car. "We have videos that show this was a deliberate killing; it was a wilful act. We are protesting for food security. If these anti-farmer laws go through, then food will become the monopoly of private cartels. This bandh will prove that there is a lot of anger in Maharashtra about this incident," he said.
Mithiborwala also warned against dismissing it as a "rural problem" and stressed that support for the agitation will give a signal about its resonance in the most urban of milieus, including the Maximum City.
Some of their other major demands are free and fair investigation in the case and immediate resignation of Ajay Mishra.
Prakash Reddy, secretariat member of the Communist Party of India (CPI) Maharashtra wing, who puts the "red" literally into his last name, slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre and called it "arrogant". "We have seen different ways in which attempts have been made to suppress and derail agitations against farm laws. The accused are being shielded and protected, instead of arrested. Every individual has a stake here as farmers put food on our table," said Reddy.
Citing that the bandh will be "historic", MVA allies said the protest will escalate to large-scale street agitations if there is no action.
Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Meraj Siddiqui said there was anguish and anger. "Even with all that rage, we want a calm protest; in our restraint lies our strength and our sentiments will speak loudly through silence."
Vijay Dalvi from Maharashtra Municipal Kamgar Union said, "[Words like] fascist have been used to describe the Modi and Yogi (Adityanath) governments; they seemed like only words till now. With this incident, there is a clear and unequivocal demonstration that the government is fascist. The face has been exposed."
"Having said that, I want to emphasise that the Maharashtra government was putting legal cases on agitators of farming laws earlier, these have to be withdrawn. The government has to be clearer on their stand. Maybe, they have just come to their senses, but better late than never. We will have to see if they really believe in this, and are not calling for a bandh for political gains," said Dalvi who, like the others, said this battle against farm laws and Lakhimpur Kheri violence is not just of an individual or a few outfits, but touches all across the spectrum.
11 October
Day of the bandh
