BJP’s promises to farmers of India show no signs of fulfillment: Bhartiya Kisan Union New Delhi, August 2nd 2014: Top leaders of Bhartiya Kisan Union, the largest farmers’ organization in India addressed the media today, pointing out that BJP’s promises to the farming community are yet to be realized in any concrete moves by the new government, even though it has been around 70 days of new government formation, and that several major milestones were indeed missed opportunities for the government to show commitment for course correction. The very first development, around a small increase in MSP (Minimum Support Price) belied the expectations, based on promises made in the BJP Manifesto. Where the manifesto promised profitability by ensuring at least 50% returns on cost of cultivation, the MSP hike was very insignificant. On top of that is the news that states have been directed not to pay any bonus over and above the MSP, which is unfair to farmers. “We have been pointing out repeatedly that the announced MSP itself does not cover the true costs of cultivation of farmers across different crops; it is also well known that the MSP announced is based on a national average of cost of cultivation, which means that some states will definitely have a higher cost of cultivation than the national average – if state governments are not allowed to pay a bonus, this is essentially something that condemns a whole set of farmers to have an MSP that does not even cover their cost of cultivation!”, said Mr Yudhvir Singh of BKU. “We welcome the resolute stand taken by the Government so far in the WTO negotiations – it is indeed true that national sovereign policies around food and livelihood security are too important to bargain away in internal fora, and that Government of India should not bow down to pressure until we secure a permanent solution. However, domestic policies around pricing and procurement should also be changed to truly support the farming community”. BKU reiterated its demand for an MSP that is correctly calculated in the first instance, and includes a 50% margin over the real cost of cultivation. It also asked for a Farm Income Commission to be set up immediately, to ensure minimum living incomes for all farm households. Amending the Land Acquisition Act (The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act) is not acceptable, BKU said and warned of stiff resistance if the government attempts to go through with the proposed amendments. Large scale dilution of the few provisions in the 2013 Act which were people centric, and were protecting the interests of farmers to some extent is a betrayal of promises made, and BJP’s own arguments while it was in the Opposition, charged BKU. During the debates on the 2013 Act, it was the BJP which came up with a proposal that there should be no acquisition at all, but only long term lease of farmers’ land if and when needed for genuine development purposes. BKU also pointed out that farm suicides continue unabated, and in adverse years, farmers struggle all the more harder to stay alive, and to eke out a dignified living out of their profession. However, many governments are in denial mode when it comes to such suicides, and in the process of playing a political game, it is the suicide victim’s families that end up suffering the most. “Farmers suicides is a blot on the nation, and we cannot deem that the country has progressed if those who keep the nation alive, resort to suicide as a way out of their distress. Government needs to be put out a message of hope to prevent such suicides through fundamental policy shifts; further, relief and rehabilitation measures for the victim households are essential”, said Mr Rakesh Tikait, National Spokesperson. Sugarcane farmers are suffering from its worst phase; they are not getting their payments from sugar mills for a long time. So they are unable to save their lives and carry on their livelihood. BKU demanded for immediate due payment of sugarcane farmers. Almost 70 percent farming lands are affected from drought this year, so farmers didn’t get their farm sown. Scanty rain has increased cost of cultivation. BKU demanded to give compensation at the rate of 20,000 per acre to every affected farmers and immediate stop the recovery of bank loans from suicide victim families. Keeping in view the distress situation of farming we demand to provide soft loan for five years and rehabilitation facility. Revision of MSP for cost recovery and minimum 5 years view to farmers. At least recovery of cost of cultivation and a minimum support system could help in this direction. BKU also demanded that there should be no field trials of GMOs allowed anywhere in the country – there is absolutely no reason why the nation should rush into such open air releases of untested new organisms in Nature in the name of field trials. We have seen trade security being jeopardized due to field trials in other countries. Meanwhile, there is no single development that warrants a change of stand by the BJP government, given that senior BJP leaders were joining the GMO-Free resistance movement on various occasions in the past. We demand that the Minister for Environment ensure that the regulators do not routinely process field trial applications, and that all such field trials are stopped straightaway. Sincerely yours, For more information, contact:09868146405
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 11:29:49 +0000
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