Farmers of Karnataka, under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Panchayat declared an open war against the Narendra Modi government from Bengaluru and called upon the farmers who constitute 65 per cent of the total population of the state, to ensure the defeat of BJP, Narendra Modi resorted to his tested theatrics and played the victim card to the rural people of the state by alleging that Congress has used abusive words against him 91 times since 2009 when he was the chief minister of Gujarat.
Unfortunately for Modi his melodramatics failed to move the farmers and Samyukta Kisan Panchayat reiterated to “defeat the anti-farmer, anti-people, communal BJP” in the upcoming polls in Karnataka and take this message to the grassroots level through door-to-door campaigns and other means of communication. Significantly around 250 farmer leaders and 20 organisations participated at the meet.
A Charter of Demands containing 15 demands and 1 special and immediate demand of Farmers of Karnataka was released at the Panchayat. Some of the key demands included: Repeal of anti-farmer laws enacted by the BJP government in 2019-2020, such as the Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, APMC Amendment Act and the Prevention of Cattle Slaughter Act.
Continuation of power subsidy given to farmers even if the central government brings in a law on privatisation of the sector. Enactment of a new law to legally guarantee realisation of remunerative prices by all farmers for all agricultural commodities. Adequate compensation to farmers for the various losses being suffered due to numerous disasters through effective disaster relief and crop insurance mechanisms set up by the government.
Enactment of Farmers’ Freedom from Indebtedness Act to ensure that farmers and agricultural workers do not experience distress under the weight of debts and commit suicides due to agricultural losses. The government should also waive off all outstanding farm loans of farmers. Scrapping of amendments brought in by the BJP government to the Land Acquisition, Resettlement and Rehabilitation Act (LARR) 2013. No land should be acquired against the wishes of farmers.
Farmers’ leaders from Karnataka were candid in their assertion that the national leadership of BJP intended to turn Karnataka as their colony. The participants viewed the move of bringing Amul to Karnataka with suspicion. They look at the move to promote the business interest of Ambanis. According to them it was a design to finish the identity of Kannada farmers. The meeting describing the move of Modi and Amit Shah to merge Nandini with Amul as anti-farmers demanded to immediately drop the move. They will not tolerate any attack on their identity and self-respect. They are even against allowing Amul to compete with Nandini. Nandini is a conglomeration of more than 15,000 milk producers cooperatives involving more than 60 lakh farmers families.
The Charter of Demands was presented to three major political parties of Karnataka; Congress, BJP and JDS. The farmers union has also invited the representatives of these three parties to participate in the Panchayat. While the Congress and JDS sent their representatives, the BJP boycotted.
Senior national leaders of SKM, Hannan Mollah, Yogendra Yadav, Smt. Kavitha Kuruganti and Avik Saha addressed the Panchayat. The Panchayat began with a homage ceremony to Martyred Farmers who have sacrificed their lives in various struggles of farmers to get their rights and dues. Farmer leaders from Karnataka GC Bayyareddy of KPRS, Badagalapura Nagendra of KRRS, HR Basavarajappa of KRRS, Deepak Lamba of Jai Kisan Andolan, Dr Prakash Kammaradi (veteran agriculture scientist) and Noor Sridhar of Karnataka Janashakthi participated.
As a follow up to the Bengaluru meet, the SKM leaders met in Delhi on April 30 and virtually presaged the launch of the second phase of Kisan Andolan. The Morcha leaders also met agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar and submitted a memorandum, reminding the govt of its promises that had prompted the farmers. It read; “Over 15 months later, the Union government has not fulfilled the promises made to the farmers. We request the Union government, through you, to stop challenging the patience of the farmers. If the government continues to renege on its promises and responsibility towards farmers, then farmers will be left with no option but to intensify the struggle.”
The farmers’ have been feeling let down by the government on its dithering on enacting a proper and genuine law guaranteeing minimum support prices (MSPs) for all crops as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission; assured procurement; disbanding of the committee on MSPs set up by the government; loan waivers; and reduction in input prices including those of fertilisers.
The other pending demands include the withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill; dismissal and arrest of Union minister of state for home Ajay Mishra Teni over the murder of farmers in Lakhimpur Kheri; and compensation and rehabilitation for the families of farmers who died while participating in the yearlong agitation
The Morcha leaders pointed out that the farmers’ of Bengal have been worst hit of the irresolute attitude of the central government paying the MSP. The state government has procured 47 lakh tonnes of paddy till date, at least 2 lakh tonnes higher than the same period last year. But this success has come under the scanner as complaints have cropped up in some districts that the procurement process was faulty and farmers did not get the benefit.
Meanwhile Samyukt Kisan Morcha at its April 30 meet decided to launch series of nationwide protests from May till November, peaking between August 1 and 15, to press its demands for legally guaranteed minimum support prices, farmer pensions and a comprehensive crop insurance scheme. Morcha in a statement said “large protest marches would be organised to all members of Parliament and key political leaders in their home constituencies and memoranda will be submitted to them, warning them to immediately resolve all farmers’ demands failing which they will face further protests”.
In May, June and July, state and district-level conventions of the Morcha will be held across the country to galvanise and organise farmers and farm workers, it said. Between August 1 and 15, mass protests in coordination with workers’ unions and organisations will be held to end the Centre’s sale of farmer and worker interests to corporate houses, the Morcha said.
“Between September (and) mid-November, massive all-India yatras shall be held all over the country, which shall be led by national leaders of SKM. The yatras will specially focus on states that will see Assembly elections such as Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, etc,” the Morcha said.
The Karnataka meet of farmers’ was quite annoyed with the government’s attitude towards them. Some members were highly critical of the leaders of the ruling party of dividing the farmers on caste and communal line and sing them for their political gains. They alleged the political leaders were using one group of farmers against other on the name of caste. They were not bothered of their plights and miseries. In 2021, 10,881 farmers committed suicide throughout the country. While most of them were from Maharashtra, second highest were from Karnataka. It is noticeable that West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha did not have a single suicide by farmers. While the state recorded 2,082 farmer deaths by suicide over the said period, Belagavi topped the list among the districts with 200 deaths, followed by Mysuru in second spot with 191 cases.
The government was not serious in paying the compensation. According to the government figures during the 2020-21 financial year, out of the 855 farmers who died by suicide, the families of 718 received compensation, while applications from 137 families were rejected. In 2021-22, out of the 917 cases of farmer suicides, compensation worth Rs 5 lakh was granted to each of the 775 affected families, while 134 applications were rejected. In 2022-23, out of the 310 cases, compensation was paid to the families of 188 farmers who had died by suicide, while 24 applications were rejected. Another 98 applications are being processed. (IPA Service)
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