Dispatch News.
Demanding a legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP), Sanyukt Kisan Morcha on Saturday staged a protest demonstration in the state capital Raipur and took out a foot march to Raj Bhavan.
A delegation of farmers submitted a demand letter to the Governor’s Secretariat.
The farmers have also warned of intensifying the movement demanding legal guarantees on MSP on crops. Organizations affiliated with Sanyukt Kisan Morcha and Chhattisgarh Kisan Mazdoor Mahasangh demonstrated in Raipur on Saturday.
The farmers who reached Raj Bhavan also handed over a demand letter addressed to President DroupadiMurmu to the Governor’s Secretariat. TejramVidrohi of the Chhattisgarh KisanMazdoorMahasanghsaid this is a matter of last year during the agitation going on at the borders of Delhi.
In a letter written to the Central Government on November 21, 2021, the KisanMorcha had drawn the attention of the government towards its six pending issues. In response, Sanjay Agrawal, Secretary, of the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, sent a letter to the Morchaon on December 9, 2021.
He assured in the letter, on behalf of the government, urging to withdraw the movement. Relying on that letter from the government, the Morchaended its agitation.
A year has passed since the matter, the central government has not fulfilled the promises made to the farmers. “By handing over the memorandum to the President, we have requested that the Central Government, as per its promise, should immediately take concrete steps to fulfil the demands of the farmers,” said Morcha membersJanaklal Thakur, ParasnathSahu, Hemant Kumar Tandon, MadanLalSahu, Narottam Sharma, Gaind Singh Thakur, NawabJilani, Praveen Shyokand etc. were included in the demonstrations.
Based on the recommendation of the Swaminathan Commission, a law should be made to guarantee MSP for all crops. More than 80% of the farmers are heavily indebted due to the rising cost of cultivation and not getting remunerative prices for their crops. In such a situation, all types of loans for all farmers should be waived off.
Electricity Amendment Bill-2022 should be withdrawn. In a letter written to the Morcha on December 9, 2021, the Central Government had given a written assurance that “The bill will be introduced in Parliament only after discussion with the Morcha.” Despite this, the central government introduced this bill in the parliament without any discussion.
Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, alleged to be the main conspirator in the murder of four farmers and a journalist at Tikonia in Lakhimpur Kheri district, should be dismissed from the cabinet and arrested and sent to jail, Morcha demanded. On the other hand, the innocent farmers who are imprisoned in that case should be released immediately and the fake cases registered against them should be withdrawn immediately, they said.
The government should introduce comprehensive and effective crop insurance for all crops to compensate for losses due to drought, flood, excess rain, crop-related diseases, etc.
A farmer pension of Rs 5,000 per month should be given to all medium, small and marginal farmers and agricultural labourers.
Fake cases filed against farmers in BJP-ruled states and other states during the farmers’ movement should be immediately dropped. Compensation should be paid to the families of all farmers who were martyred during the farmer’s movement, and plans for their rehabilitation should be made. Land should be set aside for a memorial to the martyred farmers.
