New Delhi, March 23: Thousands of farmers protesting at Delhi borders demanding repeal of the three pro-corporate farm laws by the Narendra Modi government, today remembered revolutionary and freedom fighter Bhagat Singh and his comrades Sukhdev Thapar and Shivaram Rajguru, who were hanged to death today in 1931 by the British government.
Speaking at a massive gathering commemorating the Martyrs Day, the farm union leaders stressed that building a massive and disciplined peasant movement is a true tribute to the martyrs. Sukhdev Singh Kokri Kalan, State general secretary of B.K.U. (Ugrahan) while addressing a huge gathering of youth and farmers, gathered at Tikri border to pay tributes to the martyrs called for advancing the farmer movement keeping aside the differences of caste, religion and community and said that defeating the imperialist attack of the Modi government on land, employment and bread is the truthful way to pay homage to the martyrs.
Sukhdev Singh said their organisation will continue the struggle to fulfill the dream of our martyrs to build a society free from exploitation, oppression and where the supremacy of working masses should prevail. He said the youth and farmers have failed the nefarious moves of the Modi government to curb the tide of farmer struggle by creating drifts in the farmer struggle placing template of some specific religion on the struggle and to make the farmer struggle a target of police repression. He said by taking inspiration from the martyrs the farmers’ struggle will continue till the three farm laws are repealed.
Jaswinder Singh Longowal said in his address that the Modi government is following the “divide and rule” policy of its British masters, to get independence from whom our martyrs sacrificed their lives. He expressed satisfaction over the participation of youth in today’s gathering, and said that the Modi government has been implementing the policies of privatisation, liberalisation and globalization on the instructions of imperialist institutions. He said the youth, women and farmers advanced the heritage of our martyrs and created a history by staying firm in the struggle while facing enormous adversities.
Naujawan Bharat Sabha leader Ashwani Ghudda and P.S.U. (Shaheed Randhawa) leader Husiyar Singh Salemgarh said that due to the pro-imperialism and pro-corporate policies of previous governments including the present Modi government, the youth faces the crisis of unemployment and illiteracy. This crisis will increase after the implementation of three farmer laws.
They alleged that the Modi government under the garb of nationalism, is actually betraying its people by surrendering the Public sector, built by exploiting the hard-earned incomes of its people, to the local and foreign corporate houses.
State general secretary of Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union, Laxhman Singh Sewewala said our country has been facing the problems of poverty, hunger, inflation, unemployment, debt and suicides even after the 74 years of the transfer of power to Indian rulers. He said the basic reason for the prevailing of these problems is the continuity of the stranglehold of feudalism and imperialism. He said the farmer laws introduced by the Modi government to enhance the imperialist exploitation, will push the farm-labourers, urban poor and other toiling people into the jaws of hunger, unemployment, price-hike and dearth. He emphasised the need to build a united movement of labourers, farmers, urban poor and consumers by breaking the differences of caste and religion.
Women-wing leader Paramjit Kaur Pitho said there is a need to increase the participation of women in the struggle by breaking the feudal curves. She said the women have proved during this struggle and in many other struggles that women are a very strong section of every mass movement.
Prominent scientist, poet and activist Gauhar Raza paid tributes to the martyrs by presenting his poems. He satirised PM Narendra Modi in his poem “Naya libas pahen kar, yeh kiyo samajhte ho k, Sare Khoon ke Dhabbe tum chupa loge“. Prominent social activist Medha Patekar, dramatist Shabnam Hasmi also paid tributes to the martyrs along with the leaders of B.K.U. (Ugrahan) Janak Singh Bhutal, Harinder Kaur Bindu, Amrik Singh Ghandua, Jaswant Singh Sadarpur, Basant Singh Kothaguru, Gurbhagat Singh Bhalaiana, Amarjit Singh Saidoke, Jarnail Singh Badra, Gurpreet Singh Noorpura,Satpal Singh,Dr Kuldeep Singh.