Joint Press Statement issued by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) and Joint Platform of Central
Trade Unions/ Federations/Associations on 4th January 2024, New Delhi, with a request for
coverage in your media.
** SKM and CTUs Joint Call for massive mobilisation of workers and farmers all over India on
16th February in the forms of Rail Roko/Rasta Roko/Jail Bharo/Grameen Bandh/processions
and picketing before the Central Government offices.
** However the sectoral movements and agitationa are going on including strikes. We request
them to synchronize their agitations with 16th February nation-wide programme adopted
unitedly by the CTUs and SKM.
** We appeal to all the like minded movements of students , youth, teachers, women, the
social movements and those in the field of art, culture literature to extend support to the joint
campaigns and culminating actions of the platform of Central Trade Unions and Samyukta
Kisan Morcha.
** Call to resist and decisively defeat the destructive, divisive and authoritarian policies of the
Corporate Communal Nexus and replacing them with Pro-Worker, Pro-Farmer, Pro-People
Policies.
** Call to intensify struggle until achieve the demands of MSP@C2+50% for all crops with
guaranteed procurement, Minimum Wage of Rs 26,000/- per month for workers,
Comprehensive loan waiver to small and middle farm households for freedom from
indebtedness, Repeal 4 Labour Codes, Guaranteed Employment as Fundamental Right, No
privatisation of PSUs including Railway, Defence, Electricity, No Contractualisation of Jobs,
Strengthen MGNREGS with 200 Days Work per Person per year and Rs.600/- as Daily Wage,
Restore Old Pension Scheme, Implement the LARR Act 2013 (Right to Fair Compensation and
Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013) among others.
** Counter the Heinous Religious Fanaticism and Jingoism to bring the Real Livelihood Issues
of the People back to the National Agenda
** Save the Basic Principles of Democracy, Federalism, Secularism and Socialism enshrined in
the Constitution of India
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha and the Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions /Federations/
Associations had a series of meetings to review the joint and independent campaign and
actions called by the first ever joint all India convention of Workers and Farmers on 24 August
2023 at New Delhi. CTUs and SKM noted with concern the current developments of the ruling
corporate communal nexus, shamelessly siphoning off the national assets and finances to a
handful of private corporates and paralyzing and capturing all the institutions of Indian
democracy – the Parliament, judiciary, election commission and so on.
This government is continuously carrying on barbarous onslaughts on the lives and livelihood
of the toiling people as a whole and aggressively pursuing anti-worker, anti-farmer and anti people measures through various legislations, executive orders and policy drives. It is
unconstitutionally denying the rights of elected state governments. It is suppressing all
democratic assertions of various sections of the people and all voices of dissent. It is
continuing with the dangerous game plan of communalizing the polity and constitutional
institutions, utterly misusing and abusing administrative authorities and agencies. The Union
Government attacks freedom of Media and shamelessly protects the criminals accused of
sexual harassment by the victims thus eroding the trust of the people on law and order.
We have noted that various sections of the workers and farmers and other sections of the
people are already on struggles in numerous fronts against the disastrous policies of the
Central Government. And in that spirit, CTUs and SKM reiterated the resolve to take up the
historic responsibility to counter and defeat the communal corporate nexus through
intensified campaign among the people and intensified struggle till the above demands are
achieved.
Towards this, in continuation of the joint and co-ordinated actions being organised since
November 2020, the Joint Platform of Central Trade Unions/Federations/Associations and
SKM jointly call for massive mobilisation of workers and farmers all over India on 16th
February in various forms as mentioned above.
The Workers-Peasants Joint National Convention held on 24th August 2023 at New Delhi had
already formulated the comprehensive charter of demands of Workers, Farmers and
Agricultural Workers and pressed for the same through massive countrywide Mahapadav on
26-28 November 2023. This joint Charter of Demands stands for the alternative policy regime,
diametrically opposed to present pro-corporate policies of the corporate communal nexus in
the country’s governance.
We support the call already given by the SKM for a Tractor/Vehicle Parade at the district
headquarters on 26th January, 2024 and appeal to the Workers to join it with their vehicles.
The workers and farmers will jointly organise Jana Jagaran Campaign of house-to-house visits
on 10th – 20th January 2024 in all the villages across India to distribute leaflets, demand
charter and ensure massive participation in the struggles.
We call upon the workers, farmers, agricultural workers, women, youth, students and all
other sections of the people to join this massive peoples’ action to resist and defeat the anti-
people, anti-national authoritarian policies.
We request all secular and democratic forces to support this struggle to save the People, save
the Democracy and Our Nation!
Issued jointly by,
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha and the Joint Platform of the Central Trade