Picture source: thelogicalindian.com
In 2017, Tamil Nadu declared 32 districts as drought hit. Farmers had to march to Delhi to protest. The long protest included bringing in skulls of the dead farmers, naked protest, drinking urine, eating mice. Basically they were reduced to sub humans who were pleading for their demands in ways you or I would never dream to humiliate ourselves. While the centre did intervene, the man in charge had a heart so cold, he refused to meet the farmers. It was and is still considered by most Tamilians as an Insult to Tamil Nadu. Tamilians are facing an unique challenge of an apathetic State and central government.
Key demands of the farmers were demanding a drought relief package from the Centre for, farm loan waiver, setting up of the Cauvery Management Board & unification of rivers
It is not just Tamil Nadu which is facing this issue, Maharashtra farmers marched to Mumbai in Kisan long march
More than 30000 farmers marched to Mumbai. Their demands included an unconditional waiver of loans and electricity bills, implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations, minimum support price for agriculture produce and a pension scheme
Months after the farmers marched and were assured that their demands will be met, This is the reality
The farmers are once again marching to Delhi on Nov 29, 30 And this time it is estimated to be 1 lakh farmers. As per Time of India article,
The rally has been organised to protest against the Centre’s failure to address farmers’ issues
It had formulated two private members bills – The Farmers Freedom from Indebtedness Bill 2018 and Farmers’ Right to Guaranteed Remunerative Minimum Support Price for Agricultural Commodities Bill 2018
Why in the Central government unperturbed about the grave agrarian crisis? Isn’t it our duty to raise our voice for people who feed us? It is time to say enough of crony capitalism, we are not a country only for rich. Our farmers matter and their voices matter. They are dying because we don’t care
BJP manifesto for farmers in 2014: (Source: Firstpost)
Here’s what the BJP has promised to do in the agriculture sector:
- Increase public investment in agriculture and rural development. Take steps to enhance the profitability in agriculture, by ensuring a minimum of 50% profits over the cost of production, cheaper agriculture inputs and credit; introducing latest technologies for farming and high yielding seeds and linking MGNREGA to agriculture.
- Put in place welfare measures for farmers above 60 years in age, small and marginal farmers and farm labours.
- Introduce and promote low water consuming irrigation techniques and optimum utilization of water resources.
- Introduce soil assessment based crop planning and setting up mobile soil testing labs.
- Re-orient pest management and control programmes. Implement and incentivize the setting up of the food processing industry.
- Set up the ‘Organic Farming and Fertilizer Corporation of India’, to promote organic farming andfertilizers, and provide incentives and support for marketing organic produce. Introduce rotation farming for herbal products, based on geographical mapping, to enhance the income of farmers.
- Implement a farm insurance scheme to take care of crop loss due to unforeseen natural calamities. Strengthen and expand rural credit facilities.
- Introduce the concept of consumer friendly farmers’ market to reduce wastages and increaseincomes and risk coverage.
- BJP will adopt a ‘National Land Use Policy’, which will look at the scientific acquisition of non-cultivable land, and its development; protect the interest of farmers and keep in mind the food production goals and economic goals of the country. It’s implementation would be monitored by the National Land Use Authority, which will work with the State Land Use Authorities to regulate and facilitate land management.
Tall promises which made people vote for them and on ground the reality is farmers are angry and disappointed. Let’s support the Kissan march, they are our people, the people who feed us who have been cheated enough to die for it. An apathetic government which only worries about the rich is not something which even the 31% signed up for. Time to say enough is enough and stand up for what we need is overall development, without food, statues aren’t going to feed us, renaming of schemes aren’t going to feed us, advertisements of achievements aren’t going to feed us, low political discourse aren’t going to feed us, but farmers are, stand in solidarity!
