The yatra, seeking complete debt waiver and assured remunerative prices for farm produce, began from Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh on July 7, passed through Maharashtra and reached Gujarat via Vyara in South Gujarat on Tuesday.
While state and central governments can suppress isolated movements by farmers, the alliance of 162 farmers’ organisations will ensure agitations by farmers are no longer suppressed, said Yogendra Yadav, one of the coordinators of Akhil Bharatiya Kisaan Sangharsh Samanvay Samiti, here on Wednesday.
Talking to mediapersons in the city during the Gujarat leg of ‘Kisaan Mukti Yatra’, Yadav said it is the first time farmers across the country have joined hands to ensure farming remains a viable profession. “Prices of farm produce have been suppressed artificially. Farmers have, indirectly, been subsidising the entire country all these years, but have ended up with debt. Hence, it is fair to seek a debt waiver,” he said.
The yatra, seeking complete debt waiver and assured remunerative prices for farm produce, began from Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh on July 7, passed through Maharashtra and reached Gujarat via Vyara in South Gujarat on Tuesday.
Contrary to the expectations of the organisers, the yatra got a favourable response from farmers in the state, which indicates agriculture distress in Gujarat is as acute as in other states, said Yadav. The yatra is also slated to go to Rajasthan.
Participants have demanded implementation of the MS Swaminathan Committee report, which had suggested farmers be paid 50 per cent more than their production cost from April 1, 2007 onward.
“The estimation for cost of farm produce has been erroneous and many of the costs have not been taken into account while determining minimum support prices,” said Kavita Kuruganti, one the participants in the rally. She was also a member of MS Swaminathan Committee.
Raju Shetty, member of Lok Sabha from Maharashtra and a farmer leader, said his Swabhiman Paksha had joined BJP-led National Democratic Alliance as then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi had promised he would implement the Swaminathan Committee report. “He was chief minister of Gujarat for 13 years and he claimed agriculture in Gujarat was growing fast. However, despite repeated reminders, he has not kept his word as prime minister of the country,” said Shetty.
He said that because of agricultural distress the Patidaar community in Gujarat, Marathas in Maharashtra, Gurjars in Rajasthan and Jats in Haryana are seeking reservation in jobs and educational institutes.
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