VIJAYAWADA: Farmers in the state are gearing up to court arrests (Jail Bharo) on August 9 demanding the BJP-led NDA government to ‘Quit India’ for its anti-farmer policies. They are also planning to take out a Kisan Mazdoor Rally to Delhi in September.
“Farmers are forced to take to the streets for their survival, as Modi sarkar is corporatising the farm sector disregarding the interests of crores of farmers across the country. Starting now, till August 9, the 10-crore signature campaign against Modi sarkar will be taken up, which will culminate into Jail Bharo programme on August 9, after submitting memorandums with signatures to the respective district administrations,” said All India Kisan Sabha national president, Ashok Dhawale.
Participating in the state-level workshop organised by Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham to discuss the AIKS call to farmers for Jail Bharo programme, Ashok Dhawale said that 76 years ago, a historic call was given by Mahatma Gandhi asking the British to quit India. “Today, we are forced to ask anti-farmer BJP government to quit India,” he added.
He blamed the BJP-led NDA government for the agrarian crisis in the country and said it is continuing neo-liberal policies introduced by the Congress. “In the last two-and-a-half decades, four lakh farmers have committed suicide across the country, which shows the gravity of the situation,” he said.
According to him, decreasing land holdings, increasing cost of input subsidy, lack of a remunerative price for agriculture produce, non-implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations, increasing land grabbing by the government in the name of development, demonetisation, GST and corporatisation of farm sector has resulted in the present crisis.
He said that the government which can write off bad debts of Rs 2.5 lakh crore and loses hope on another Rs 12 lakh crore given to corporates, questions the need to waive farm loans. “For years we have been demanding land to tillers, but today the BJP government is making all efforts to offer land to corporates,” he said.
Dhawale explained the genesis of the farm movement in Maharashtra and the success of the farmers’ Long March in Maharashtra. “It is time for food growers in the country to unite and fight for their rights,” he said. AP Rythu Sangham president Y Kesava Rao explained the farmers’ problems in the state.