Farmers renew warning of agitation

Mumbai: The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), along with the steering committee of state-wide farmers, has renewed its warning of an agitation. The committee has given a protest call in every tehsil of the state from June 1. The committee alleged that the Union government’s promise of giving farmers rates that would be 50 per cent more than the minimum support price (MSP) had remained on paper only. Last year, too, the committee had given a call to farmers to go on strike June 1 onwards, which turned out to be one of the largest farmers’ protests in recent times and led to the state’s farm loan waiver scheme.

Dr Ajit Nawale, leader of AIKS, said, “We had gone on strike on June 1, 2017. It was a historic strike. The state government accepted our demand of loan waiver. But farmers have not received the benefits of the waiver till today. Not just that, all the assurances given by the state and Union governments are incomplete. So, we do not have an option but to give a call for protest, again.”

MLA Bachchu Kadu questioned, “The Union budget assured 50 per cent more than the MSP for Kharif crops. We waited for the entire season. Not a single crop and not a single farmer has received anything. Farmers sold their pulses and cotton below the MSP this year. So, if nothing is changing, what else can we do?”

This time, the steering committee will raise many demands including implementation of the Swaminathan Commission, loan and electricity bill waiver, `27 per litre rate for milk, strict implementation of laws regarding fertilisers and seeds, implementation of the forest land rights act and a comprehensive insurance policy.