Farmers to launch jail bharo protest on May 14 – Mumbai Mirror

Farmers in Maharashtra will court arrests on May 14 to protest the state government’s “failure” to keep various welfare assurances it had given to them earlier.

Leaders of farmers and various political fronts said they are planning the ‘jail bharo’ protest at taluka and district levels to draw the government’s attention.

“Despite giving assurances, the government did not implement them. We have conducted various agitations like not paying electricity bills, fasts and launching a protest march, but farmers could not get any relief,” said Kishor Dhamale of Satyashodhak Shetkari Sabha.

He claimed that over 2 lakh farmers will court arrests.

Dhamale demanded that the government pay Rs 7,000 crore to milk producers for the losses they have suffered due to the state government’s failure to offer them a good rate for their produce. “Around 3 crore litre of milk is produced every day in Maharashtra. The government had promised the rate of Rs 27 per litre, but farmers are getting the rate of Rs 20 per litre. They have to bear losses of Rs 21 crore every day, which means losses of Rs 7,000 crore to date,” he said.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra State Electricity Consumer Organisation convener Pratap Hogade termed as “false” the state government’s claim of the total electricity outstanding bill of Rs 24,000 crore. “The government is recovering more electricity charges from the farmers. Though they (farmers) get a subsidy, the bills are inflated. We met the chief minister on the issue, but the government is trying to save power distribution company.”

Farmers’ leader Raghunath Patil said the Rs 34,000-crore loan waiver announced by the state government last year has not benefited the farmers much.

“After the loan waiver was announced, 2,000 farmers committed suicide. Contrary to the government’s claim of distribution of Rs 32,000 crore of the waiver, the fact is that not even Rs 20,000 crore has been distributed.

“Other promises like minimum support price are not kept by this government,” he claimed.

Source: Farmers to launch jail bharo protest on May 14 – Mumbai Mirror