CHINGAM 1, the auspicious beginning of the Malayalam calendar year (the day Onam festivals begins), is officially observed as “Peasants’ Day” in Kerala. This year, the CPI(ML) unit of Palakkad district called upon the peasants to observe the day, which fell on 17 August, as “Peasants’ Black Day”, as a protest against the anti-peasant policies and measures of Central and State governments. Led by Com. Joy Peter, Secretary of Palakkad district Party unit, activists and sympathisers wearing black badges and carrying placards in their hand demonstrated at the official ceremony being held at Palakkad, and distributed leaflets explaining why Party has been forced to observe this black day. They raised slogans like “Peasant-worship is a deception, while they are being starved to death”, “abrogate all agreements which push down the prices of domestic agricultural products”, “write off all the outstanding agricultural loans”, “stop the import of palm oil, save coconut farmers”, “provide insurance to paddy crops”, and “fight against globalisation, fight against Vajpayee-Antony governments”.