Jai Kisan Andolan

Jai Kisan Andolan is a public movement for farmers rights in India, undertaken by Swaraj Abhiyan. It aims at highlighting the plight of farmers due to lapses in public policies related to agriculture. Currently it is coordinating between small farmer groups spread all over India, to raise voices against amendments in Land Acquisition Act, farmer compensations, rationalization of minimum support price for crops and demand for pay commission for farmers.

Yogendra Yadav is the current convenor of Jai Kisan Andolan.

Activities

Race Course Protest

Swaraj Abhiyan held a protest on 26 July 2015 outside Race Course, New Delhi.^[1][2] Swaraj Abhiyan leaders present at the demonstration venue claimed that Race Course is a symbol of all that is wrong with our public policy while dealing with farmers.^[3] They demanded that since the lease of Race Course has expired in 1998 and that Horse Racing does not serve any public purpose, for which the land was initially acquired, a Kisan Haat be build on the venue where common farmers can promote and sell their organic produce.^[4] They also demanded a Memorial to be built at the site dedicated to farmers.

Jai Kisan March

Swaraj Abhiyan started a Tractor March to highlight the plight of farmers on 1 August 2015 from Thikriwal in Punjab.^[5] Jai Kisan Andolan started mass mobilisation by getting farmers from all over the country to contribute soil from their farms. The soil was collected in small earthen pots.^[6][7] It touched more than 7000 villages and over 5000 Kalash were collected to be brought to New Delhi for a gathering on 10 August at Jantar Mantar. This gathering was to be the end point for the Tractor March.

The march entered Haryana on 4 August and passed through Chandigarh, Panipat and Baghpat^[8] to reach Uttar Pradesh. It reached Delhi on 9 August where Delhi Police stopped the march and did not permit it to reach Jantar Mantar. Swaraj Abhiyan leaders claimed that permission for the march had been taken to reach Jantar Mantar^[9]

Hal Satyagrah

In continuation with Tractor March and the demand to install a memorial on Race Course dedicated to farmers, Swaraj Abhiyan sought to lead a march to the Race Course along with a "Plough". After having stopped by the police, Swaraj Abhiyan leaders sought permission for 20 farmer widows from Vidarbh, to take the symbolic plough on foot, in a non violent manner. Administration having denied that, Swaraj Abhiyan decided that they will keep holding the plough above ground till 14 August in order to gain attention of the Parliamentarians to their demands. On the intervening night of 10 and 11 August, Delhi Police detained 96 members, including 3 juveniles from the protest venue. Prashant Bhushan called the midnight action as a violation of fundamental rights of people gathering peacefully and moved a petition in the Delhi high court. Delhi high court reprimanded Delhi police and order immediate release of all detainees.^[10]

Punjab WhiteFly Attack

In Sept 2015 , Bt cotton crops were majorly affected by Whitefly in Punjab destroying as much as 2/3 of the produce. This led to an estimated cumulative loss of Rs 4200 crores, accompanied with instances of farmers committing suicide due to debt.^[11][12] Swaraj Abhiyan accused the Govt of Punjab of corruption in distribution of pesticides and said that the 640 crore compensation package was 'less'.^[13] Prashant Bhushan held a public hearing and a legal camp to help farmers fight a legal battle in the Supreme Court.^[14]

Agriculture Budget

One day before Finance Minister Arun Jaitely presented the Annual Budget, Jai Kisan Andolan released an Agriculture Budget, dealing with farmer's issues and fund allocation for them.^[15]

References