The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), on Saturday announced that farmers from all parts of the country will be gathering in the Capital on November 20, to protest against the atrocities that are being carried out against them by the government.
Calling it a historic move, AIKSCC convener B.M. Singh said that 180 farmer organisations from over 20 States will be participating in the ‘Kisan Mukti Parishad’ which is scheduled to be held next month.
Plight of ryots
Mr. Singh said, “The farmer is the one who feeds the country. But, unfortunately, the circumstances are such that he is being forced to commit suicide. The Prime Minister seems to be worried about farmers only during elections.”
Farmer representatives present at the meet said that their primary demands were that a farmer should be freed from all kinds of debts and that they should be given remunerative prices for their yield as recommended by the Swaminathan Committee.
Swaraj Abhiyan national president Yogendra Yadav said, “What we are witnessing in the country is further aggravation of agrarian crisis. This year, there is a drought-like situation in 216 districts in the country with deficient rainfall. Prices of all the major agrarian commodities have collapsed. There are reports of farmer suicide from parts of the country like Punjab from where it is hardly expected.”
Anti-farmer government
Referring to government policies that have been rolled out for the farmers, Mr. Yadav said, “In the face of the crisis, we have a government which is by far the most anti-farmer government that the country has ever seen. It is a government which responds to the crisis with a series of fake announcements. The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna has clearly failed and many others have clearly ended up just on paper. In such a situation the farmers have no option but to unite for the struggle.”