Farmers seek debt waiver, better prices for product

New Delhi: Thousands of farmers from various parts of the country assembled in the capital on Monday, and demanded a one-time total farm debt waiver and remunerative prices for their produce.

At a ‘Kisan Mukti Sansad’ or farmers’ liberation parliament, two bills were passed for debt and remunerative prices for their produce.

The gathering was organised under the banner of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), comprising 180 peasant organisations from all over the country.

According to the committee leaders, the bills passed by them will be placed in Parliament as private member’s bills by Lok Sabha member Raju Shetty of the Swabhimani Paksha and Rajya Sabha member K.K. Ragesh of the CPI(M).

“We will also seek the support of other political parties to ensure that these private member’s bills are passed in Parliament,” said Ashok Dhawale, a leader of the All India Kisan Sabha, a constituent of the coordination committee.

According to the coordination committee, “Steady rise in input costs such as fuel, pesticides and fertilisers and even water, and slashing of subsidies by the government are some of the key factors behind cost versus income imbalance” being faced by the farmers at presently.”

The protesting farmers have alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has done nothing for the farmers and instead has been using them to meet its political interests.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier said that no state would give a bonus above the minimum support price (MSP) and now before the Assembly election in Gujarat, when cotton prices are down, the Gujarat government has announced a bonus of Rs 500 per bale. But what happens to the farmers of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab or Tamil Nadu?” asked Communist Party of India leader Atul Anjan.

“This is blatant pampering of the farmers and using the situation to meet your political interests, and not the interests of farmers,” Mr Anjan added.