PCFS On India's Farmers Protest

The People’s Coalition on Food Sovereignty welcomes the new year with salute to the sustained militance of the millions of India’s farmers protesting the Three Farm Acts and other enacted neoliberal reforms in the country.

PCFS expresses its solidarity to the Delhi Chalo, the historic protest that continues to brave the winter cold and the coronavirus risk. We laud the unwavering resolve of the protesters and the broad unity it has generated in demanding the repeal of the Three Farm Acts.

From the marches and strikes mounted since the enactment of the Three Farm Acts, the movement has evolved into a farmer-led multisectoral protest that is blocking Delhi’s roads and borders for six weeks now and counting. Among the hundreds of participating unions is PCFS member organization Andhra Pradesh Vyvasaya Vruthidarula Union (APVVU).

The Coalition joins the peoples of the world in condemning and calling for the revocation of the Three Farm Acts — the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act in September 2020.

We stand that these will only facilitate corporate takeover of India’s agriculture that will affect 60% of India’s population engaged in the sector. The laws will subject 85% of Indian farmers that own less than three acres of land to landgrabs, while contractualization and suppressed wages await the nearly 500 million landless laborers and agricultural workers.

We also slam the Modi government for the police brutality that farmers face since the first day of their protests. Those who were arrested should be released immediately and unconditionally.

The Delhi Chalo is on the right track in raising the notch of their campaign against the Three Farm Acts in the coming days, given the state’s violent response to quell the farmers’ protests and the eight rounds of deadlock in the dialogues with the government. As such, PCFS calls to support Delhi Chalo’s slated march and tractor parade on 26 January 2021, India’s Republic Day.

The Delhi Chalo is a testament to the power of the rural peoples in asserting food sovereignty and resisting anti-people state policies. It is the energy that we need as we face the many imminent challenges this year with the worsening crisis due to the ongoing pandemic as well as the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit.

Repeal the Three Farm Acts!
Down with Neoliberal Policies in Agriculture!
Support the Delhi Chalo!

Reference: Sylvia Mallari, PCFS Global Co-chairperson - secretariat@foodsov.org

Link: http://foodsov.org/in-millions-we-are-one/

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