Arise Bharat

Documented Agrarian Societies have existed in Bharat for over 10,000 years, supported by the twin pillars of farmers and landless agricultural labourers. However, there has been a historical disconnect between these two sectors, with growing disparity and an ever widening trust deficit.

Since 1930, pioneers like Prof. N.G. Ranga of Andhra, Swami Sahajanand Saraswati of Bihar, and Chaudhary Charan Singh of Uttar Pradesh had agitated over the problems of the agricultural sector. The Marxists also organised farmers/landless agricultural labourers. Although some problems were solved, the real objective of the Marxists in organizing farmers/landless agricultural labourers was not to strengthen the field of agriculture, but to launch a class struggle
against farmers in rural India on the strength of the Marxist revolution, resulting in continuous incidents of bloodshed from 1968 to 2005.

The philosophical narrative and dialogue till today has been guided with a conflict and confrontational mindset to further divide the community.
Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya emphasised the need for ‘Antyodaya’ – reaching the last man; from ‘Gramodaya se Sarvodaya’ (From Rural Upliftment to Upliftment of All); and from ‘Sarvodaya to Abhyudaya’ (From upliftment for All to the Rise of All). This vision was translated on the ground by Rashtrarishi Nanaji Deshmukh and Dattopant Thengade ji, and offers an alternative roadmap for conflict-free development of village communities, based on the principles of Integral Humanism
and complementarity.

Furthermore, the Government of India has no comprehensive Policy for landless agricultural labourers. Their empowerment, welfare and progress, whether individual, economical or societal is ad hoc and controlled by multiple agencies and Ministries.

This ‘National Workshop on Strengthening Agriculture Sector through Economic Empowerment of Landless Agricultural Labourers’ held on 29th and 30th June 2024 at the Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalya, Chitrakoot, organized by Deendayal Research Institute, the Madhya Pradesh Jan Abhiyan Parishad, and the Mahatma Gandhi Chitrakoot Gramodaya Vishwavidyalya, in the presence of Shri Pradhuman Singh Tomar, Hon’ble Minister of Power,
Government of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Sanjay Paswan, ex-Minister of State of Human Resources Development, Government of India, Shri Shyam Prasad, Rashtriya Sanjoyak, Samajik Samrasta, Shri B. Surendran, Organising Secretary, Bharatiya Majdoor Sangh, Shri Deepak Khandekar, Chairman, Tribal Cell, Governor House, Bhopal and the delegates from various states, unanimously adopts the following “Chitrakoot Declaration”:

1. Village life and agriculture are part of our culture, unfortunately today agriculture is not profitable. It has no respect in the society. Many farmers and landless agricultural labourers are leaving the villages. As a result of this, there is indiscriminate urbanization. This is creating more and more migrant labourers. If this continues, the country will not be able to produce sufficient food grain for its needs.
2. In rural India, landless agricultural labourers are among the very backward classes of the society. More than fifty percent of them are from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

3. Having land suitable for agriculture not only provides an economic source for the people but also gives them a social status. Scheduled caste workers also face discrimination on the basis of caste. Therefore, landless farmer labourers should be identified and declared as the most backward class of rural India. For their overall development, the government should make a scheme like ‘Antyodaya Yojana’.
4. Agricultural rural labourers, artisans and other entrepreneurs, dependent on farmers, are all members the same family. The farmers should be sensitized to the needs of landless labourers and artisans in the community so that they can live in
harmony. All the plans and activities of the government and social organizations should carry the message of equitable and inclusive development along with a shared future highlighting the principle ‘Agricultural Family’ (Krishi Parivar), in
which there will be no conflicts in the village.
5. The agricultural sector can be strengthened by empowering landless farmer labourers.