Need for changes in agrarian policy – TAMIL NADU – The Hindu
The All India Kisan Sabha, along with over 190 farmers organisations from across the country, would take out a three-day ‘Kisan Mukthi Long March’ to Parliament in November seeking radical changes in the agrarian policy in order to prevent farmers’ suicides under a neo-liberalisation regime, said its national president Ashok Dhawale.
He is here in connection with a three-day national executive council meeting of the AIKS, in which over 100 delegates from 24 States are participating.
The council has called for a 10-crore signature campaign across the country, pressing for a charter of demands including complete waiver of crop loans.
“We want the Centre to implement the recommendations of the M.S. Swaminathan Committee for fixing minimum support price with a return of 50% over and above the comprehensive expenditure incurred by farmers. The recent MSP announced by the Narendra Modi government is nowhere near the MSP recommended by the panel. It is a big hoax,” Mr. Dhawale said.
Pension
The Sabha also demanded a pension of Rs. 5,000 to all farmers and farm hands over the age of 60 years. They should have right over land and forced acquisition of land from farmers must stop.
“Even in the case of Chennai-Salem eight-lane greenfield corridor, the State is forcing farmers to give up their fertile lands. Same is the case with the bullet train project in Gujarat and Maharastra,” he said.
The government should take up land reforms and provide land to landless farmers.
Another major demand of the farmers was a comprehensive crop insurance scheme. Prime Minister’s Fasal Beema Yojna was a sham that helped only corporate insurance companies and not farmers, he said.
“Farmers did not get even 10% of the premium they paid at times of natural disasters,” Mr. Dhawale claimed.
On August 9, farmers have planned a “Quit India” Day protest coinciding with the anniversary of Quit India Movement. Members of the AIKS and the Centre of Indian Trade Unions would organise big rallies in over 400 districts. The signature campaign memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister would be handed over to the district Collectors. The members would also court arrest as part of “fill the jail” protests.
In September, the AIKS and the CITU, along with members of All India Agricultural Workers’ Union, would take out a kisan sangarsh rally in New Delhi pressing for 15 demands.
The series of protests would culminate with a ‘Kisan Mukthi Long March’ in which the working class would take a rally towards Parliament from 10 directions.
“We will seek not only solutions for the agrarian crisis that has forced over four lakh farmers having committed suicide since the introduction of neo-liberalisation policy. The struggle will also focus on the communal and casteist and anti-secular faces of the BJP-led Centre,” Mr. Dhawale said.
“Even the Supreme Court has come down heavily on the Centre for not stopping several cases of lynching due to hate-crimes. Eighteen Dalits were killed during the Bharat Bandh in April last. All secular and democratic forces will join the march,” he said.
AIKS general secretary Hannan Mulla and State general secretary P. Shanmugam and all India vice-president and CPI (M) State secretary K. Balakrishnan were present.
Source: Need for changes in agrarian policy – TAMIL NADU – The Hindu
