The All India Kisan Sabha held a large public rally in Agartala for its state conference. Leaders highlighted severe crises faced by farmers in Tripura, including shortages of fertilisers and seeds, high costs, and inadequate irrigation.
A large public rally of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) was held at Vivekananda Maidan, popularly known as Astabal Maidan, in Agartala on Tuesday as part of the organisation’s 22nd Tripura State Conference. The rally witnessed the participation of AIKS General Secretary Biju Krishnan, AIKS Vice-President Hannan Mollah, CPI(M) Tripura State Secretary and Politburo member Jitendra Chaudhary, AIKS Tripura State Secretary Pabitra Kar and other leaders.
The three-day state conference, being held from September 1 to 3, is expected to deliberate on a range of issues confronting farmers across Tripura and chalk out the organisation’s future course of action.
Farmers’ Crisis Highlighted
Addressing the gathering, AIKS state secretary Pabitra Kar alleged that farmers in Tripura were facing a severe crisis due to shortages of fertilisers, seeds and pesticides, besides inadequate irrigation facilities. Kar claimed that the rising cost of agricultural inputs had added to the farmers’ difficulties. Citing the price of seeds, he said, “I went to buy a packet of seeds and found that a 10-gram packet was priced at Rs 1,000.” He also criticised the state government’s proposed distribution of urea through smart cards, claiming that farmers would receive only around 10 kg of urea annually, while a single kani of agricultural land requires around 30 kg.
The AIKS leader Biju Kishan said the conference would hold crop-wise discussions on the difficulties faced by farmers and deliberate on issues affecting different sections of the farming community.
Border Access and Wildlife Conflict
Among the key issues raised by the leaders are the problems faced by around 10,000 farmers living along the international border, particularly in accessing their agricultural land located beyond or near fencing. The conference is also expected to discuss human-wildlife conflict, including elephant attacks. Kar claimed that 15 people had died in elephant attacks and said the organisation would deliberate on possible solutions to the problem.
Plight of Rubber Growers and Political Violence
Rubber cultivation, described by the organisation as one of Tripura’s major economic assets, will also figure prominently in the discussions. Kar alleged that rubber growers were facing distress due to inadequate prices and attacks allegedly linked to political violence. He further alleged that farmers and their agricultural fields had faced increased attacks following the 2018 and 2023 elections.
Future Course of Action
The AIKS National Secretary Biju Kishan said the three-day conference would assess the overall condition of Tripura’s farming community, formulate demands and prepare for a broader movement on farmers’ issues.
Significance of Astabal Maidan
The public meeting at Astabal Maidan is significant as it marks the return of a major Left-affiliated organisational gathering to the venue after a long gap. (ANI)
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