Hyderabad: The leaders of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) gave a call to the people of Telangana to remember the betrayal of farmers by the Modi government and to defeat the BJP in the general elections with the slogan: “Let’s isolate, oppose and punish the BJP for not implementing the written promises given to the farmers”.
From May 6 to 11, SKM leaders and the leaders of local rights groups will be holding a campaign on various issues across the state against the Modi government’s rule.
Addressing the media at Somajiguda Press Club on Monday, the SKM leaders highlighted that 4.26 lakh farmers, agricultural, and daily wage labourers committed suicide during the last ten-year rule of Modi.
The farmers’ leaders alleged that instead of taking concrete steps to prevent the suicides, the Centre has committed itself to handing over the agriculture sector to corporates.
Recalling how 750 farmers have lost their lives in the nationwide farmers’ movement against the three controversial farm bills and the electricity amendment bill, the leaders said that though the Centre had withdrawn its decision to go ahead with the farm laws, the electricity amendment bill and had assured removal of cases against the protesting farmers in addition to promising in writing that a committee will be constituted to work on the modalities to study the demand for guaranteeing the minimum support price (MSP) for crops; nothing has materialised even after two years of the movement.
“The funding for crop procurement and ‘price support scheme’ has been cut. No attempt was made to waive the debts that caused farmers’ suicides. Lakhs of crores of rupees have been waived off for big corporates. The MSP Act does not reach crores of farmers. The promise of doubling farmers’ income by 2022 has been dashed. The Forest Conservation Act has been violated and ownership rights assured under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 were not given,” said the farmers’ leaders.
They also said that an unsuccessful attempt was made to amend the Land Acquisition Act of 2013, which ultimately tied the powers to the states.
“The Telangana farmers should recognise the injustice done to the farmers by the BJP, and realise that BJP is spreading false propaganda about religion to divert people’s attention from their anti-farmer policies. We should get ready to teach a proper lesson against the central BJP government in the elections to be held on May 13. Let’s save agriculture. Let’s save the country. Let’s stop the corporate loot” the farmers’ leaders said.
Dr Vijoo Krishnan, Dr Sunilam, Suresh Raut, Avtar Singh Mehma, K Balakrishnan, Badagala Nagendra, Ravi Kiran Puncha, Arun Kumar, Rayala Chandrasekhar, Sunketa Anvesh Reddy, T Sagar, Vissa Kiran, V Prabhakar, Koteswara Rao, Mamidala Bikshapati, Jakkula Venkataiah, R. Venkatramulu and others were present at the meeting.
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