Farmer anguish reflects in Congress rally

Farmer anguish could be one of the biggest takeaways for the Congress in the Jan Aakrosh rally here, with farmers coming in huge numbers from every other state, including as far as Assam and Maharashtra. Groups of farmers could be spotted descending in huge numbers on buses and trucks braving the unbearable heat on Sunday.

While some had come of their own, others said the local leaders persuaded them to join the rally.

Harichand, 55, who has a family of eight, from Nagpur's Bhiwapur village, was angry at the BJP government's Pradhan Mantri Bima Fasal Yojana, aimed at providing insurance cover to crops from calamities.

"When the scheme was announced, we were not told that it will not cover damages individually. I have two small pieces of land, but due to water scarcity the crop did not mature. Same is the case with many other farmers there. However, the regional office told us that the insurance is only when the entire village in one division is facing the problem. There were days when we could not feed our children. What kind of justice is this?," he rued.

Arun Thakur, 46, who had come with a group of fellow villagers from Guntur in Assam, too had the same predicament. Water shortage has taken a toll on farming in the area.

"We don't know what to do and where to go? The government has taken instant decisions such as demonetisation, but nothing for a grave issue being faced by farmers for years. We were told that there is a mega rally being held by the Congress party in Delhi and that we should participate and meet the leaders to have our problem heard. We will be staying for a day here to meet some leaders," he said.

Similarly, groups of farmers from Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, among others, had come to attend the rally to have their grievances heard.

Kawar Singh, who grows sugarcane in a village in Haryana, said, it has been more than a month that he has not been able to sell the crop which was cut in March.

"The stacks of sugarcane are lying as it is since we are not getting a receipt from sugarcane mill where it is sold every time. It was not the case till three years ago when the Congress government was in power. At least, then we could feed our families. Now we are not able to make ends meet," said Singh.

Baaj Singh Bisht and his wife had come from Uttarakhand's Kumaleshwar village with a similar ordeal. The little land where they grow tomatoes and chillies is uprooted each time the crop grows by wild boars and monkeys, for which they have never been compensated by any government that has headed the state.

"It has been years that we are fighting for basics in this village. A large number of people have sold their land here just because of crops being destroyed by animals. We don't get any compensation nor does the government do anything to stop these animals. We came here hoping we may get a chance to be heard thinking its a big rally. However, we could not even enter the venue and we will catch a bus home in the evening," he said.

FROM FAR & WIDE

Farmers from as far as Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, among others, had come to attend the rally to take up their issues with the leaders.