BARGARH: In a bid to create awareness among people to vote for the right candidate in the upcoming elections, thousands of farmers under the banner of Sanjukta Krushak Sangathan took out a massive bike rally and covered four blocks of Bargarh district on Thursday.
The 120 km rally, that kick started from Bheden block covered Barpali, Bargarh and Attabira before culminating at the source. The rally moved around key areas of all the blocks with more than 500 bikes and other vehicles. During the rally, the farmer leaders halted at multiple stops in each block to address people.
Convenor of Sanjukta Krushak Sangathan, Ramesh Mahapatra said, “Even after over seven decades of independence, the plight of the farmers, labourers and daily wagers has remained unchanged because of the faulty policies and apathy of both Central and state government. While election is the only chance for us to select a representative, the voters usually fall prey to freebies and money offered by corrupt parties and end up choosing a wrong candidate who never voices their concerns. Elections should be issue-centric”.
He said candidates in fray should be asked what can they do about the demands raised in the past and how can they resolve the prevailing ones. “While we still have time to make a choice in this elections, we have started a campaign to urge people to question the candidates asking for votes. Ask them to include your demands in party manifestos. And if you do not find a suitable candidate, vote for NOTA,” Mahapatra said.
He said, from Friday the farmers’ outfit comprising farmers of all 12 blocks of the district would start a ‘Gaan ku Chala Abhiyan’ under which they would visit villages and hold panchayat level meetings to create awareness among voters.
Earlier this month, the outfit had started a campaign by pasting posters on voters awareness on walls in villages. Later, on May 6, the farmers had called a meeting with representatives of all parties and handed them a memorandum urging to make the election issue- centric.
The demands of the outfit include increase of MSP to Rs 4,000 per quintal and bonus of Rs 1,000, streamline procurement process and curb deduction, loan waiver for farmers, free electricity for farmers, monthly allowance of Rs 3,000, inclusion of farming activities in MGNREGA, disbursal of subsidy, appropriate pricing for forest produce and marketing facilities, timely compensation for crop loss, encouragement of organic farming and cold storage facilities besides irrigation, employment, quality education and healthcare.