NEW DELHI — Thousands of delegates representing industrial labor, public-sector employees, and agrarian unions gathered at Talkatora Stadium on Wednesday for the National Convention of Workers and Farmers.
A United Front Across Sectors
The convention marked one of the largest united mobilizations of urban trade unions and rural peasant movements in recent history. Representatives from across the country—including key public sector federations like the BSNL Employees Union and the National Coordination Committee of Electricity Employees and Engineers (NCCOEEE)—joined agricultural workers under the banners of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) and All India Agricultural Workers Union (AIAWU).
Addressing the delegation, union leaders emphasized that the rising cost of living, rural distress, and aggressive privatization of public utilities require a synchronized response combining both agricultural and industrial working classes.
"This gathering at Talkatora Stadium is a decisive declaration that India's working class and peasantry will no longer tolerate policies favoring corporate centralization at the expense of local livelihoods," stated joint representatives during the declaration release.
Key Demands Formulated
The resolution passed at the convention outlines core statutory and economic demands spanning both agrarian and labor sectors:
Legal Guarantee for MSP: A statutory guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) calculated at C2+50% with assured state procurement for all crops.
Repeal of Labour Codes: Complete rollback of the four Labour Codes passed by Parliament, alongside the enforcement of a statutory minimum wage across formal and informal sectors.
Halting Privatisation: Immediate withdrawal of the proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill and a halt to the privatization of state power distribution companies (discoms) and other public sector enterprises.
Protection Against FTAs: Scrapping or renegotiation of proposed Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) that threaten domestic agricultural produce, livestock, and dairy sectors.
Debt Relief & Land Rights: Comprehensive farm loan waivers for small peasants and landless agricultural laborers, along with strict controls against forced land acquisitions.
Calendar of Nationwide Protests Announced
To pressure the government into action, the convention leadership released a structured, multi-stage campaign schedule running through the end of the year:
[August 10, 2026] → Decentralised Anti-FTA Demonstrations across 1,000 locations
[August 15–17, 2026] → Quit India Actions ("Jail Bharo" & "Rail Roko") and Charter Submissions
[October 3, 2026] → Nationwide Mahapanchayat marking Lakhimpur Kheri Anniversary
[November 26, 2026] → Constitution Day Mobilization: Multi-day sit-ins in Delhi and 100+ cities
Organizers warned that if the central government fails to respond to the charter of demands following the November 26 Constitution Day sit-ins, the joint platform will prepare for an indefinite country-wide struggle.
