Disclaimer – its not about BJP or Congress or any other party
most ministers need to come out of their “bubble” and face the real situation rather than practicing data presentation in a manipulative way or are farmers are just for gaining sympathy votes? why the one who grows does not gain profit and everyone else gets profit?
This is angry post loaded with facts. I connect dots and see patterns to make strategies mostly to formulate solutions for better living, better for India and globally. Sadly, sometimes I see patterns and can only shout it out in hope that it will be heard. This is one such shout out to all the – people and people representatives at State Assemblies & at the Parliament. Call it a open letter that will be “tweeted” to begin with.
The Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shri Radha Mohan Singh quoted the farmers struggles in the British time as one of its kind in the world (read more here http://bit.ly/2pi8584). This was at a gathering at National Farmer Fair in Champaran, Bihar in April 2017. While, the honrable minister was quick to remember the past it seemed that he turned blind eye to the present protests or maybe did not use the past knowledge to reach out to the farmers as Ghandi ji did. As, mentioned in his own speech.
I am not going to write in detail about what has already been recently written i.e. the farmers protests in Madhya Pradesh & Maharastra. What i saw and everyone can see is that the matter became worse and worst.
Firstpost wrote – Maharashtra, MP farmers’ protest: How overconfident BJP failed to see farmers’ discontent, mishandled agitation
“The farmers who are agitating for fair prices for the produce… party leaders openly advocated strong police action against the agitators….on 6 June, there was firing which resulted in death of six farmers…On tuesdayinternet was shut in few districts…”
Dailyo wrote - What incited the farmers' unrest in Madhya Pradesh: Explained in 10 points
“…1) Nine districts in Madhya Pradesh’s Malwa region are on the boil after police firing killed five farmers during protests in Mandsaur. The farmers are more united in this belt since Indore (sabzi mandi) happens to be the commercial capital of the state. The nine districts are Mandsaur, Neemach, Dhar, Khargaoun, Dewas, Indore, Ratlam, Ujjain and Badwani.
2) The unrest had been simmering for over a year now….”
BBC reported how the farmers died and post death events …Curfew in central India after farmers die in clashes with police
Hopefully, you must have heard of the protest by Tamil Nadu farmers about 40 of them recently protested in Delhi for 40 days. They did all they could to get attention and action. From holding live mouse in their mouth to dead snake.
This not the recent avalanche of farmers protests. They have been protesting for long and suffering for longer. How the one that has been growing for several generations is poorest of poor and the the packages the food rich?
The question is why are our representative still so insensitive and haven’t been able to solve the problem? e-NAM open auction still charge 4% commission from the farmers.
While the country is literally burning with one protest after the other the ministers found time to go to Israel ! “..Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri S.S Ahluwalia, visited Israel on 4-5 June, 2017. Apart from Shri Ahluwalia, 10 MPs representing 9 political parties from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, were part of the delegation…” Read more here. And when was the protesting farmers shot?
I have so far quoted 3 recent farmer protests in the country from 3 different States. Agriculture being the roots of the society. Since April 2017, why were we not able to show and give support to farmers adequately? Or prepare well for reaching out?
Yes, this is write up is more about questions than answers. As, we need to question everyone (in the government & the opposition) when farmers die of bullets, when citizens out on the road with hope die of bullets. The food produced by those dead farmers might be still in circulation.
More important to question when I read that the minister is not in farmers rally yesterday but in a yoga event.
Small action for you and me? Please go local buy from farm, mandi (vegetable or fruits markets) rather than packaged food that comes processed in tins. Lets keep asking questions, be aware of situation till it improves as there is always hope in my heart. Thank You !
For the record, a total of 3,18,528 farmers have committed suicide in the past 21 years across India – which means 1 life in every 41 minutes.
For govt. data on farmers suicide – click this.
Watch – The Web of Farmer Suicides
Read & Watch – positive story with innovative take