KOTTAYAM: With the price fall of natural rubber leaving many farmers in a lurch, political parties have extended a hand in hopes of capitalising on the crisis.
The CPM on Sunday organised ‘Jana Sadass’, a public meeting in Kottayam to extend support to rubber farmers. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who inaugurated the event, lashed out at the Congress and the BJP for their steadfastness to skewed policies that continue to impair the lives of rubber farmers.
“Rubber farmers were one of the worst-affected by the globalisation and liberalisation policies adopted by the Congress-led government in the Centre three decades ago. The BJP aggravated their condition by continuing the same policies,” the CM said.
Meanwhile, the UDF launched their state-wide protests against the anti-farmer policies of the Central and state governments on Saturday. Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan criticised the state government for turning a deaf ear to the farmers’ demand to raise the support price of rubber. The BJP also came out agianst the state government over the support price.