To meet the ‘historic’ false propaganda of the Prime Minister, AIKSCC will hold 400 meetings in the country in the next four months and expose this fraud on the people of the country.
Image: PTI
New Delhi: On July 4, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, raised the Minimum Support Price (MSP) by 4-53 per cent across all agri-commodities for Kharif crops in 2018. It was being seen as a ploy to appease farmer ahead of 2019 parliamentary elections.
The move made the commodities uncompetitive in the markets. The demand was also to increase the price of all crops, fruits and vegetables, milk and other farm-related produce.
All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC Working Group) and National Council met in New Delhi and have decided to hold a token black flag demonstration on July 20, 2018, from Mandi House to Parliament Street against the betrayal by the Prime Minister in declaring MSP of 14 Kharif crops. On that day, MP Raju Shetty will present two bills on Freedom from Debt and Guaranteed MSP in the Lok Sabha. The protest will emphasise on the betrayal meted out by the govt to the farmers and to remind the 21 parties about the support they had given to the bills.
“AIKSCC has forcefully condemned the announcements of MSP as a betrayal and far short of the promise made by Sri Modi to implement Swaminathan Commission formula of 1.5 times the C2 costs. Modi govt’s MSP is based on the same formula ofA2 + Fl that was given by the Manmohan Singh govt. A2 includes only paid out costs. Fl or family labour calculates labour for ploughing, sowing, weeding, harvesting at a rate much lower than minimum wages. It excludes labour for irrigation, sprays, management and guarding,” a statement by the group said.
“To meet the ‘historic’ false propaganda of the Prime Minister, AIKSCC will hold 400 meetings in the country in the next four months and expose this fraud on the people of the country. Govt has restricted announcement to only 14 crops while the demand was for all crops including fruits and vegetables, milk and other farm-related produce,” the statement said.
General Secretary of All India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha (AIKMS) said in the statement that, “Govt has failed to ensure procurement of the crops. Currently, only 6 per cent of farmers benefit from govt procurement. Only one-third of wheat and paddy is procured while generally about 1 to 2 per cent of coarse grains, pulses and oilseeds are procured. With PDS being converted to DBT, this too will stop. AIKSCC is demanding a guaranteed MSP for all crops with penal action for failure to do so.”
AIKSCC demanded that to solve the crisis of oversupply of milk, the govt should procure milk and give each child 150 ml milk in midday meals, to help the farmers and the children.
“AIKSCC demanded reduction in input costs, especially of inputs like diesel, fertilizers and electricity which are being increased rapidly by the govt itself. It also demanded check on prices of MNC seeds, insecticides and other inputs. To keep food prices in check and help sharecroppers, tenant and other farmers the govt. should give input subsidy to all farmers in place of loans, as is being done in Telangana,” it said.
AIKSCC declared that it will observe August 9, as Kisan Mukti Diwas to ‘Oppose Pro MNC, anti-farmer policies’ end to “Companiyon ko Chhoot, Kisano ki Loot” and to demand ‘Ghata Mukt Kheti, Karza Mukt Kisan, ZeharMuktBhojan, AatmhatyaMuktBhart’. It will hold Mandi protests between Oct 8 to 10 and organize a two day “Kisan Mukti Kooch” on November 30 and December 1 in Delhi.