Farmers, Workers Stage Nationwide 'Jail Bharo' Protest Against Centre’s ‘Anti-Worker, Anti-Farmer’ Policies

New Delhi: Farmers and workers across the country took part in a nationwide 'jail bharo' protest called by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and central trade unions against what they described as anti-worker and anti-farmer policies of the Union government.

The protesters raised several demands, including the repeal of the labour codes, a legal guarantee for minimum support prices (MSP) for agricultural produce based on the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission, and withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill.

They also demanded that the minimum monthly wage for workers across sectors, including scheme workers, be raised to ₹42,000 after incorporating dearness allowance. Other demands included scrapping the VB-G-RAM-G scheme and free trade agreements.

E P Jayarajan inaugurating the jail bharo protest in Kannur

The SKM and central trade unions are planning to intensify their joint agitation against the Centre by November. The farmers' organisation has decided to revive a nationwide movement against the Union government with the intensity of the historic farmers' agitation held five years ago. The 'jail bharo' protest marks the first phase of the campaign.

CITU General Secretary Elamaram Kareem inaugurated the protest in Kozhikode. In Kannur, the agitation was inaugurated by E P Jayarajan, while T P Ramakrishnan inaugurated the programme in Thiruvananthapuram.

CITU state president T P Ramakrishnan addressing the public during the jail bharo protest in Thiruvananthapuram

All India Kisan Sabha President Ashok Dhawale participated in the protest in Maharashtra, while its Finance Secretary P Krishnaprasad joined the agitation in Haryana. CITU All India President Sudeep Dutta also participated in the Haryana protest.

The organisations said the nationwide mobilisation was aimed at mounting sustained pressure on the Union government to withdraw policies they consider detrimental to workers and farmers.