Yogendra Yadav, leader of Swaraj Abhiyan, has said showing humanity and expressing support towards those facing problems must be prioritised.
He was addressing farmers after inaugurating the Samvedana Yatra at Hanchinal village in Shahapur taluk in Yadgir district, on Friday.
Mr. Yadav said that he had decide to start the yatra from Karnataka and that too from this village from where many farmers had migrated to the big cities to search for jobs owing to drought.
The yatra will end in Haryana after passing through Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, where a valedictory programme was scheduled to be held on October 15.
He said that during the yatra, he would talk to distressed farmers, visit the fields where crops were damaged due to drought, and discuss the issue with personalities from various fields to bring awareness and finally take the issue to the governments concerned to find solutions. “We have no money, power or influence but we have humanity to take up the problems faced by the farmers.”
Expressing displeasure about less importance given to agrarian problems, Mr. Yadav said that any crime committed in Mumbai or a disease in Delhi became national news but not the drought or any issues related to the farmers.
He urged the Union and State governments to come forward to help the farmers with programmes under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Act and sought waiver of farm loans taken from nationalised banks and cooperative societies.
S.R. Hiremath, social activist, said that this was the first movement after independence where farmers’ issues were being taken up at the crucial stage.
Charmaras Malipatil, State President of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, said that Chief Ministe Siddaramaiah had called a farmers’ meet on October 5 at Bengaluru, where he would highlight the severe drought situation and stress for immediate action.
Subhash Ikur and Mallikarjun Satyampet, farmers’ leaders, and others were present.
