Agricultural labourers feel neglected

Mahesh Sharma

Mandi Ahmedgarh, October 18

Agricultural labourers, including migrants, are upset that none of the candidates contesting byelection from Dakha has bothered to listen to their grievances and failed to keep their promises.

Despite being educated about their right to vote, members of lower strata of society, predominantly agricultural labourers, had been casting their votes in favour of candidates normally being supported by their employers.

“What can we do when party leaders approach our employers for seeking our votes? Knowing little about their qualities and qualifications, we are left with no option but to do as directed by our employers,” said Hari of Latala. Hari regretted that successive governments had failed to implement rules about their working conditions and financial commitments.

Bhajan Singh and Balbir Singh, office-bearers of the state body of Kull Hind Khet Mazdoor Union, lamented that agricultural labourers were being exploited politically and economically by members of upper sections of society, including their employers and politicians, while none of the political parties had ever bothered to listen to their grievances. “Though we have long been fighting for getting farm labourers’ rights of pension, fixed wages and plots for constructing houses; previous governments didn’t bother to do the needful,” said Bhajan Singh lamenting that fake promises were made by leaders during previous elections.

Acknowledging the tendency, Baldev Latala, an office-bearer of the All-India Kisan Sabha, regretted that none of the traditional political parties had ever bothered to listen to the grievances of common people, including agricultural labourers. “Even during elections, leaders prefer to woo voters through mudslinging against rivals and making false claims instead of listening to the grievances of common people,” said Latala.