Farmers' Union leader A Vijayaraghavan states central laws are harassing farmers

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A Vijayaraghavan, a member of the CPM politburo and National President of the Farmers' Union, emphasized the need for unity among farmers and workers to resist attempts at dividing the country. He inaugurated a dharna organized by the Farmer Workers' Union in front of the Raj Bhavan.

He stressed the importance of preventing the current administration from extending beyond 2024 and urged opposition against any efforts to undermine the unity forged during the nationalist movement. Vijayaraghavan criticized the central government's focus on supporting large corporations, highlighting that essential commodity prices have surged by over 150 percent in nine years.

The event saw the presence of V. J. Joseph, the INTUC All India General Secretary serving as President, and notable figures such as AITUC State General Secretary K.P. Rajendran, State President of the Farmers Union M. Vijayakumar, State Vice President of KSKTU Anavoor Nagappan, District Secretary of CITU C Jayanbabu and others including V.S. Padmakumar, V. Chamunni, Santhosh Yohannan, Koliyur Suresh, Sudarshan Kumar, Thambanoor Rajeev, Maheen Abubakar, Tommy Mathews, Sweet Dasan, V.K. Sadanandan, Govindan Pallikappil, Prasanna Kumar, Dileep and more who expressed their viewpoints.

This protest in front of the state Raj Bhavan is part of the National Trade Union Campaign Committee and Samyukta Kisan Morcha's call. Thirty-two organizations comprising trade unions and farmers' groups, are participating in the three-day dharna, demanding a waiver of farmers' debt, the implementation of a fair support price as recommended by the Dr Swaminathan Commission, immediate execution of terms settled during the farmers' strike, and the repeal of anti-employee labour codes among other issues. The dharna is scheduled from 10 am to 8 pm.