HYDERABAD: Speakers at the 47th death anniversary of peasant leader comrade Hyder Bux Jatoi held here on Sunday called for an end to feudalism, exploitative capitalist system and growing religious intolerance in society.

They paid rich tribute to Jatoi who was lovingly called Baba-i-Sindh for waging a selfless struggle for the rights of the poor and neglected peasants and workers and urged his followers to act upon Jatoi’s teachings to complete his mission.

They were speaking at the anniversary programme organised by the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) in collaboration with the Sindh Agriculture General Workers Union (SAGWU) at the press club.

Two-minute silence was observed during the programme for the workers who were gunned down in Gwadar, Balochistan, in a terrorist incident a few days ago.

NTUF Sindh president Gul Rehman said that Jatoi connected peasants’ struggle with the progressive movement and defeated the attack on the integrity of the province by the Center with his ideology and consistent campaign.

That was why Jatoi was highly revered and lovingly called Baba-i-Sindh, he said. Despite all odds, Jatoi gave a tough time to feudal lords and forced the government to pass the tenancy act to give peasants their due rights. The introduction of the Sindh Industrial Relation Act, 2013, was also a result of his struggle, he said.

NTUF central deputy general secretary Nasir Mansoor said that Jatoi’s revolutionary ideology could put Sindh on the road to progress. Sindh’s feudal lords had always remained tools in the hands of anti-Sindh forces while Jatoi was the only genuine representative of the province whose struggle infused with hope peasants, workers and other oppressed segments of the society, he said.

Labour leaders Lal Bakhsh Lalan, Mushtaq Ali Shan, Subhagi Bheel of SAGWU, Shakila Khan of Home-Based Women Workers Federation, Nisar Laghari of Sindh Hari Porhiyat Committee demanded that the feudalism must end, lands should be distributed free of cost among peasants and seats should be allocated for peasants in legislative houses in accordance with their ratio in population.

They said the government should pay at least Rs3 million compensation each to the families of workers who were killed in Gwadar incident, health safety and security of workers should be ensured at workplaces, a chapter on the life and struggle of Jatoi should be made part of curriculum and his birthday should be made a public holiday, peasant courts should be established across the province, just water distribution should be ensured, religious intolerance must be countered and injustices to Hindus and other non-Muslims must be stopped.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2017