On 15th August, 2020, PBKMS calls people across West Bengal to commemorate this Independence Day as Food Security Day (Khadya Suraksha Diwas)

After 73 years of Independence, we ask why are so many of us still hungry? Is it not the responsibility of a Democratic Government to take even more responsibility for its citizen's basic right to food at the time of a Pandemic?

 

More than 12 districts of West Bengal will be joining Paschim Banga Khetmajoor Samity (PBKMS) in commemorating our Nation’s Independence Day as National Food Security Day. Our Youth groups have conducted a survey in 13 districts of Bengal to identify members of their communities who do not have ration cards. On Independence Day, in over 300 villages community members will gather and hoist the national flag Then, they will stage protests about being hungry even in a democratic country after 73 years of independence.

We agricultural workers and unorganized sector workers across Bengal unitedly raise the slogan, “Keu khabe aar keu khabe na, ta hobe na ta hobe na” (Some will eat some will not, we don’t accept , we don’t accept).

We demand:

1. Universal PDS and adequate rations
2. Removal of 5 different types of ration cards in West Bengal and one ration card for all
3. 14 kg of food grains, 1.5 kg of pulses, and 800 gram of edible oil per month per person for free.

In addition, we, PBKMS members, in the tea gardens of Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri also demand:

1. 600 rupees daily minimum wage
2. Ownership of the land we have built our houses on

We declare, “Desh hua aazad, lekin hum rahe bagan maliko ke gulam” (The country became free but we remained slaves of the garden owners”.

Our members have started preparing for the day posting banners and distributing handbills in their respective villages. Youth teams have also completed their door to door survey by now. We are all preparing to start our day tomorrow by hoisting of the national flag in our villages. We will gather and join hands to challenge the systemic inadequacies and will show solidarity with the masses reeling under the burden of historic oppression meted out to the working class. Banners and handwritten posters will be used in our demonstrations and public gatherings, which will highlight the sheer magnitude of the scale of denial of food grains to the citizens of our nation. Social action initiatives will be implemented wherein the people will demonstrate the power of advocacy and establish themselves as agents of change.

 

Friends, let us not lose this opportunity to raise our collective voice against the nonchalance and pathetic response of the administration both at the state and centre on ensuring the access of citizens to guaranteed entitlements. We believe that our constant struggle will lead to a new awakening amongst the working class to demand their rightful share from a state, which exploits them and view them as objects of pity.     

Join hands with us in our fight against Hunger this Independence Day!