A group of farmers from Mysuru boarded a train to the national capital on February 10 to participate in the February 13 Delhi Chalo rally organised by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha to voice the grievances of farmers from across the country.
Speaking to reporters before boarding the train at Mysuru City Railway station, President of Federation of Karnataka Farmers’ Associations Kurubur Shanthakumar said the rally in the national capital is to draw the Union Government’s attention to the welfare of the farmers by meeting out their demands that includes implementation of the law guaranteeing minimum support price for agricultural produce.
The other demands of the farmers’ bodies are complete waiver of farm loans and introduction of a pension scheme for farmers, who had completed 60 years. A large number of farmers from various parts of Karnataka were leaving for Delhi by different trains to participate in the rally.
Referring to the Centre’s recent announcement of Bharat Ratna to well known agricultural scientist M. S. Swaminathan, Mr. Shanthakumar sought to know from the Union Government the reason for not implementing his recommendations for the welfare of farmers.
“You have honoured him with Bharat Ratna. But, why have his recommendations for the welfare of the farmers been ignored”, Mr. Shanthakumar said while expressing skepticism over the Government’s intentions behind conferring the Bharat Ratna on late Mr. M. S. Swaminathan.
The farmers’ leader warned the BJP Government at the Centre that coming elections to the Lok Sabha will be “dark polls” for the country’s farmers if their demands are not fulfilled.
