Farmers gear up for August 10 ‘jail bharo’ protest over India-US trade deal

With the proposed India-US trade agreement emerging as a major issue, farmer and trade unions have intensified preparations for a ‘jail bharo’ agitation on August 10 on the call of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and other unions. Farmers and trade unions say it will be a nationwide protest against the proposed deal.00

The meeting, chaired by Surender Singh Ghuman and conducted by Ashok Kumar, focused on the growing concerns over the proposed India-US trade arrangement, which union leaders alleged could adversely impact Indian agriculture and domestic markets.

Ghuman argued that trade agreements, if implemented without adequate safeguards, would expose farmers to unfair competition and weaken public procurement systems.

Union leaders alleged that the government had failed to address long-pending demands of farmers including ensuring MSP with guaranteed procurement for all crops, “The government should repeal four labour codes, restore labour laws, protection for trade union rights,” he demanded.

They extended support to the proposed three-day statewide strike by Power Corporation employees and engineers, as well as the planned agitation by the Municipal Employees Union, with coordination among different sections of organised workers.

Farmer and trade unions’ leaders called upon farmers, workers and youth to participate in large numbers in the August 10 agitation. “On the call of the SKM, trade unions and other organizations, this protest will be organised and it will be massive against the policies of the government,” said Rattan Mann, state president BKU.

Meanwhile, a block-level meeting of the BKU (Charuni) was organised at Kisan Bhawan in Pundri in Kaithal district, which was chaired by district president Gurnam Singh Faral and attended by state youth president Vikram Kasana, youth district president Vikram Dusain and other leaders.

The meeting focused on strengthening the organisation, farmers’ issues, and the possible impact of the proposed India-US trade deal. Kasana said the union would expand its presence by forming committees in all villages to strengthen the organisation at the grassroots level.

Kasana warned that if import tariffs on agricultural products such as cotton, sorghum, soybean oil, orange juice and other farm commodities are removed under the India-US trade deal, Indian farmers will not be able to compete with heavily subsidised American produce, resulting in significant losses to the agriculture and farmers’ incomes. He said BKU would strongly oppose any agreement that harms Indian farmers.

The union also demanded that the Haryana government should start government procurement of paddy from September 15. Kasana warned that if the demand is not met, they will be compelled to block the GT Road, as it has done in previous years.