Maharashtra Farmer organisations call for ‘jail bharo’ andolan on May 14 | The Indian Express

Farmer organisations in Maharashtra have called a ‘jail bharo’ andolan (agitation) on May 14, the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, across the state, demanding a complete waiver of loan and electricity bills, scrapping of the Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway and refinery at Nanar in Ratnagiri among others. Around two lakh farmers are likely to take part in the andolan, which is to be held in all districts, sources said.

The steering committee of farmer organisations, which has called the “jail bharo”, includes the Shetkari Sanghatana led by Raghunathdada Patil, All India Kisan Sabha, Baliraja Shetkari Sangh, Satyashodhak Shetkari Sabha, Akhil Bharatiya Shetkari Sanghamong others.

“After the announcement of farm loan waiver, around 2,000 farmers have committed suicide. The loan waiver hasn’t helped in stopping farmer suicides. We don’t accept the government loan waiver. It should be a complete loan waiver for all farmers,” said Raghunathdada Patil, who is also part of the steering committee.

Patil further said there has been no action against the milk dairies for not paying the rate of Rs 27 per litre to farmers. “Besides, the government is also not following the norms of making payment in 24 hours after receiving goods from farmers. The sugar factories are paying as per the fair and remunerative price (FRP),” he claimed.
“But, there has been no action against the market committees or the sugar factories. Most of the dairies, sugar factories and market committees are controlled by the Congress and NCP… The BJP and Shiv Sena have also become part of the racket to loot the farmers,” said Patil.

The labour unions have also extended their support to the jail bharo andolan. “The government is working for the corporates to provide raw material at low rates and cheap labourers for their factories. If the government can bail out the big corporates, then why can’t it give complete loan waiver to farmers who are struggling for their livelihood?… All the labour unions will take part in the jail bharo…,” said Vishwas Utagi, convenor of the Trade Union Joint Action Committee.

Source: Maharashtra Farmer organisations call for ‘jail bharo’ andolan on May 14 | The Indian Express