Siliguri , December 27; GANASHAKTI: Over Thirty thousand farmers and agricultural labourers from 6 North Bengal districts today afternoon met in a long march cum encroachment programme at Siliguri in North Bengal, with determination and dedication to tear open the anti farmer policies of the Modi led Union Government and the West Bengal State Government. Crossing the initial estimate of 10,000 particpants the long march evinced huge interest in North Bengal and over 30000 peasants joined the March at the call of All India Kisan Sabha- All India Agricultural Workers Union Combine . Siliguri Urban area residents mostly from urban working class background joined hands with their peasant brethren, cooking over 1 lakh Roti,s for the peasants many of whom has come from far flung mountainous belt or distant rural areas in the Bengal – Assam or Bangladesh border.
Later a delegation led by AIKS leader Khagen Murmu went to the North Bengal Secretariat and briefed them about the 13 pointt demand of the peasants movement in North Bengal , which includes Loan waiver , providing Minimum Support Price for agricultural produces like Paddy, Implementation off the Teesta Barrage project started by the earlier Left Front Government but has been left dysfunctional in the recent years,
The confidant marchers in the Uttorkonya Encroachment programme was led by none other than DR Ashoke Dhawale,AIKS National President and veteran of the trend setting Nasik Mumbai Long march led by AIKS . AIKS West Bengal State Presiddent Nripen Choudhury, State Secretary Amal Haldar, All India Agricultural Workers Union State secretary Amiyo Patra and State President Tushar Ghosh along with Siiguri Mayor and MLA Ashoke Bhattachrya and Mass movement functionary Jibesh Sarkar and Tapash Sarkar ,Sabhadhipati of Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad led the thousands of carriers of the fluttering red flag of the AIKS –AIAWU combine through the 5 Km long route from the Mahananda river embankment to the North Bengal Secretariat Uttorkanya near Tinbatti more in Siliguri. It can be recalled that the original Long March route had to be curtailed as a fearful oppressive state governments inept administration refused to give permission to hold the Long march from the Dagapur Tea garden to the North Bengal Secretariat. Even the second alternative given by the AIKS functionaries from the Champasari Sriguru Vidyalaya was refused by the Police and administration. Ultimately the AIKS and progressive movement had to apply pressure on the administration after which the administration partially bowed down and allowed the Long March to be held from the Mahananda embankment area.
The determined mood of the peasants was gauged by the determination shown by Maya Thapa an agricultural labourer from Naxalbari district who is a school drop out due to her economic condition and had started working as agricultural labouer when she was only 14 years old. Today while coming to the venue yesterday night she suffered from insect bite which badly affected her skin , making it painfully swollen , but brimming with confidence she declared that she will be joining the March . The medical representative volunteer manning the medical camp set up in the Mahananda bank from where the March started around 12.45 Pm , despite being a seasoned activist of trade union front ,was startled to see the teenagers determination and her class hatred against the class oprressors led by the Modi- Mamata anti farmer axis...
