Udaipur: The democratic organizations and civil society members extended a warm welcome to “Mitti Satyagraha Yatra” in Udaipur. The leaders and workers of democratic rights movements led by NBA leader Medha Patkar and President of Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, former MLA Dr. Sunilam reached Udaipur on  the evening of 2nd April, 2021 and were accorded a warm welcome by activists from Udaipur. The “Mitti Satyagrah Yatra started from Badwani in Madhyapradesh and Dandi in Gujarat. The activists in the Yatra collected soil from different parts of the country where freedom movement was fought and also where peasants and other workers shed their blood fighting for farmer’s rights. The sacred soil from all over the country will be carried to the borders of Delhi where the farmers are agitating for their demands. The Yatra went to Bichchiwada in the morning and on Thursday evening a meeting was held in the cottage of comrade Mahesh Sharma at Ashok Nagar, Udaipur. The meeting was organized by People’s Union for Civil Liberties, Udaipur. Ashwini Paliwal , secretary of Udaipur PUCL welcomed the guests and extended the support of Udaipur unit of PUCL and other left and
democratic forces in Udaipur to the farmer’s movement. The programme began with a song “ Gore Hakim gaye re Bhaiya , Ab aa gaye Kaale” sung by the team members from Maharashtra. Ms.Guddi from Mumbai told the details of the journey so far and said that the protest of farmers was to save humanity, constitution and democracy. She said that soil from 23 states will reach Delhi where a memorial will be built to commemorate the farmers who laid down their lives during the movement. Addressing the meeting the President of Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, former MLA and Socialist leader Dr. Sunilam said that now it is no more a movement of peasants alone , it has become a mass movement. He said that Gujarat has become a police state. While travelling through Gujarat he told that police kept them surrounded everywhere and threatened people who wanted to participate in the programmes of the Mitti Satyagraha Yatra.He said the Gandhi made Indians fearless while in Modi regime in his own state an atmosphere of repression and terror exists. This is the new Gujarat model which Modi wants to replicate in the whole country to aid and support the corporate take hold of all the resources of our country. He said that now is the time to give a call of “Do or Die” if we have to save the democracy. Peasants and farmers are ready for action. He said that agitation at 200 places in the country is going on. He said that the government has agreed to purchase only 4 crore tons of wheat out of a total produce of 12 crore tons on MSP. Similarly only 40% of the paddy will be purchased by the government on MSP. This is the reality of the policy of the government.
Narmada Bachao Andolan’ leader Medha Patkar was present in the meeting though she could not say much as she was not feeling well. Comrade Shankar lal Chaudhary , state committee member of CPIML said that the Sanyult Kisan Morcha , Udaipur carried out all calls from the central committee including demonstrations, call for Bharat Band, Chakka Jam , Gherao of the House of the Member of Parliament etc. He said that three groups including women and tribal activists visited the borders to express solidarity with the farmer’s protest movement. Leader of Bhartiya Kisan Sena Roop Lal Dangi said that the farmers are facing hardships and will not keep quiet before the farm laws are repealed. He called for overthrowing the NDA government. Mr.Prafull Sawant Rai from Lok Shakti , Odisha said that after 1990 it is the first time that such a massive movement has emerged in the country. He said that the Union Government is a fascist , dictatorial corporate state which needs to be removed to safeguard democracy and the constitution in our country. He said that the main opposition parties have not clearly opposed these policies because they are also tied to the corporate. But, he assured that a new force will rise up shortly which will change the politics of this country. He said that for the first time an
understanding has developed between the farmers and the trade unions. The meeting was addressed by advocate Manna Ram Dangi, Usha Chaudhary and many others. Members of the Yatra included Medha Patkar, Dr. Sunilam. Prafull sawant Rai from Odisha, Amit Kazi from AISF, Mangal from Lokayat , Pune, Journalist Sarvesh, twenty volunteers from Narmada Bachao Andolan, ten workers from Indore Century Mill Tushar, members of Bahujan Samvaad, etc. Himmat seth also joined the Yatra from Bichchiwada. People present in the meeting included Mahesh Sharma, CPI, Rajesh Singhvi, CITU, Saurabh Naruka AICCTU, Prof Sudha Chaudhary AIPWA, P.S.Khichi, Bank Employees Union leader, Prof. Hemendra Chandalia AIFUCTO and more that hundred activists of the town. The meeting was presided over by advocate Ramesh Nandwana, president PUCL, Udaipur.