In Photos: Farmers and Workers Who Have Travelled Across the Country to Make Their Voices Heard

New Delhi: Workers and farmers from 23 states have arrived in Delhi with demands ranging from an upward revision of minimum wages to remunerative prices for peasants.

Around 5,000 have travelled from Nasik, many of whom were part of the Kisan long march from Nasik to Mumbai in March this year.

A group has travelled from Pallakad in Kerala on motorcycles. Another group from Manipur has travelled despite being threatened by the local police and told not to do so.

The workers and peasants began their march from Ramlila Maidan at 9 am on September 5. It will culminate at Parliament Street, where representatives from across the country will air their grievances and spell out their demands.

Key demands include curbing price rise, universalising Public Distribution System, banning forward trading in essential commodities and concrete measures for generation of decent employment.

Implementation of minimum wage of not less than Rs 18,000 per month for all workers, stopping anti-worker labour law amendment and remunerative pricing for the peasants as per Swaminathan Committee recommendations are also some demands.

The farmers want that public procurement be ensured, debt waiver for poor peasants and agricultural workers and comprehensive legislation for agricultural workers. Other demands include implementation of MGNREGA in all rural areas and amending the Act to cover urban areas.

Food security, health, education, housing for all, universal social security, no contractorisation, redistributive land reforms, stopping forcible land acquisition are also being sought.

The farmers and workers have demanded relief and rehabilitation for victims of natural calamities and the reversal of neoliberal policies.