Be warned! Farmers are coming!
In just a few days of state government announcing its grand plans to erect a mammoth statue of River Cauvery, many farmers have laid siege to Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi, over delayed payment of sugarcane purchase by the state. Small skirmishes have also occurred. Farmers were arrested and then released. None of this is any new to the state.
The farmers who had demanded fertilizer and seeds by taking to streets during the time of former CM Yeddyurappa were answered with bullets. Eventually Yeddyurappa had tried to overcome the guilt of having been responsible for the death of a farmer by bullet, by promising to build a lifesize statue of the man who was killed in the melee. The dead farmer was called the ‘martyr’.
How would the statue of river Cauvery be of any respectable solace when farmers have to struggle to get their due respect and payment from the state? Even central government stages adequate emotional drama over farmers, and play politics through that. Though state has asked the centre to waive farmer loans, the centre has been refusing to pay heed owing to the economic loss it would suffer owing to this. At the same time, central government has spent Rs 3000 cr on a non performing asset such as a statue.
About 200 farmers organisations are coming together to press for their demands. A mega rally of members would reach Delhi on November 29, and 30. This would be a major faceoff for a corporate backed government against the common man. This is quite strongly indicative of the fact that statue of Patel – the one of unity – has nothing to do with the farmers of the country. Farmers are the keepers of food security of the country.
Today, when the country holds its head up with pride, it is not only because of the Army, but also owing to the fact that our farmers served us well with their hard work and produce. To protect their interest is to save the country. But the central government is trying to silence the farmers through the lathis of the police. Beyond this, what are the farmers even demanding? They just want a special parliamentary session being called to discuss the crisis in agriculture today. This is their main demand where they want issues like recommendations made by Swaminathan Commission, minimum support price and control, and remedial measures and discussions on crop insurance owing to faulty methods adapted by banks to be discussed and solved.
As for the accounts shared by the farmers, banks are using humiliating methods to recover the loans which is hurting the interest of the nation. At the same time many businessmen have been able to escape with thousands of crores of loans, which hardly bothered the banks. Hence millions of farmers are victims of this discriminatory approach adapted by the banks. Why are the banks so hard on the farmers and soft on corporates who are responsible for the crises banks are in, today?
Similarly, corporate companies are trying to have total control over commercial crops and insurance. The framework to expand this facility is helping the companies more than the farmers. Owing to all this, the country is facing agrarian crisis with more than 3 lakh farmers ending their lives. In this background, the rally has been organized to bring the issues to the notice of the central government and that of common people too. The rally is aimed at holding at least one democratic exchange of thoughts with the central government which is refusing to accept the problems that exist right now.
To understand why the centre does not want to hold any dialogue with the farmers is not a tough thing. Because, the moment govt comes down for a dialogue, it has to accept its failure to notice and sort out the matter. The government would then be held responsible for the crisis. This is an important coming together of people from many walks of life and hence very significant. Actors, bankers, students, cinema producers and techies, IT workers almost everyone is supporting this rally called by the life savers of the country.
Farmers are showing though the country is deemed to be theirs since they are the backbone, it belongs to the corporates in true sense. Natural agricultural resources such as land, forest, water and minerals are being usurped by the corporate companies, continuously. Companies are continuing to have monopoly over seeds, fertilizers, finances and market – almost every aspect that has something to do with the farmers. This rally aims at ensuring farmers get a life of dignity and promise along with strength and power to work on shaping their own destiny. This is also to increase the face value and dignity of the country. Hence, the government needs to cooperate with the farmers on this rally and its intent.
But in the given situation, such a response cannot be expected from the central government which may call them naxals or whatever to silence their voice. This may lead to even massive clashes between the government and the farmers. This rally may well be called the second freedom fight if the government does not understand its intent and work along with the farmers to find solutions to their problems.
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Speaker rules out discussion on Guv''s conduct amid K''taka Assembly standoff
Bengaluru (PTI): In an effort to end the logjam over the Governor's address that has stalled proceedings for the past week, Karnataka Assembly Speaker U T Khader on Wednesday ruled that legislators should not discuss Thaawarchand Gehlot or his conduct in the house, saying such debates send the wrong message to the public.
The House has witnessed repeated disruptions and adjournments since the session began on January 22 over the issue of the governor's conduct.
During his address to the joint sitting of the Karnataka legislature on January 22, Gehlot read out only three sentences from the 122-paragraph speech prepared by the state government.
The speech included criticism of the Centre for replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajivika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G), portions of which the governor declined to read.
Concluding his address in about two minutes, the governor left the house, triggering a commotion as Congress legislators attempted to gherao him and raised slogans.
While the opposition BJP accused the ruling Congress and its ministers of "insulting" the governor and demanded action, the treasury benches countered by claiming the governor had "insulted the National Anthem by leaving before it was played."
The house again witnessed heated arguments on the issue earlier in the day, leading to adjournment.
During the interruption, Khader held a meeting with ministers and opposition members to resolve the impasse.
When proceedings resumed, the speaker delivered his ruling.
Referring to the events of January 22 and the subsequent debate, Khader said the conduct and discussions had conveyed the wrong message to the public.
"Our conduct as members of this House and the opinions expressed must be in good taste and in accordance with constitutional provisions. They must uphold the dignity of the House and its members. We must introspect in this direction," he said.
He stressed the need for caution to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in the future.
"Let us end this matter here, continue the discussion on the motion of thanks to the governor, and refrain from discussing the governor or his conduct in this house," the speaker said.
Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka said the house should express regret over what he termed an "insult" to the governor.
Responding, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the situation would not have arisen had the governor read out the entire address.
"Asking the house to express regret is not appropriate. Why did the governor leave even before the National Anthem was played," Siddaramaiah asked.
BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar reminded Siddaramaiah that as Leader of the Opposition in 2011, he had asked then Governor Hansraj Bhardwaj to curtail his address.
Bhardwaj had subsequently placed the address on the table of the house, requesting members to treat it as read.
Siddaramaiah said the situation in January 2011 was different from the present one.
The debate grew intense, leading to another adjournment of the house.
