Hyderabad: Leaders from the Telangana Farmers’ Association have announced a nationwide rural bandh on May 20, urging people across the country to stand up against what they call anti-farmer and anti-worker policies.
Sarampalli Mallareddy and T Sagar, senior leaders of the association, revealed the plan during a May Day event held at the association’s state office. They said the bandh is inspired by the spirit of workers’ rights and is a call to defend basic protections for farmers and laborers.
They criticized the Modi government for extending legal working hours up to 13 hours a day under the new labor codes. “We fought hard to win the right to an eight-hour workday,” said the leaders. “Now, those gains are being taken away.”
The leaders also expressed anger over the government’s failure to pass the long-promised Minimum Support Price (MSP) Act, which would guarantee fair prices for crops. They accused the ruling BJP of ignoring farmers’ needs and backing corporate interests instead.
Another major issue raised was the Electricity Amendment Act. According to the association, this law has worsened conditions for poor and middle-class farmers by increasing their financial burden.
The speakers also condemned the government’s move to cut funding for the Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which provides jobs in rural areas. They said this is a direct attack on employment and a threat to the livelihoods of millions.
They further accused the central government of weakening democratic rights and ignoring the Constitution. “Prices are rising, wages are not,” they said. “The poor are suffering while the government turns a blind eye.”
The bandh on May 20 is meant to send a strong message. The leaders appealed to the public to participate and raise their voices against what they described as unfair policies.
Several other prominent leaders joined the event, including B Venkat, National General Secretary of the Agricultural Workers’ Union, Paladugu Bhaskar from CITU, R Venkatramulu of the Telangana Agricultural Workers’ Union, and Farmers’ Union Vice Presidents Bonthala Chandra Reddy and Aribandi Prasad Rao.
They all agreed: It’s time for collective action to protect the rights of farmers and rural workers.
