CPI to organise national level movement from July 24-26 on farmers' problems

Demanding redress for agriculturists’ problems and implementation of the Swaminathan committee recommendations, CPI on Monday said that it would organise a national level movement on July 24, 25 and 26.

Stating this, CPI National Secretary told reporters here that the movement would be in various forms, including ‘fill the jails stir’.

D Raja said the agricultural sector was facing a crisis as there have been increasing incidents of farmers’ suicides.  Their economic status was grim as they obtain loans, face pressure to repay them and when they cannot do so, take the extreme step.

The farmers also do not get remunerative prices for their produce and the Minimum Support Price fixed is not adequate, he said. Tamil Nadu, like some states, was also facing an unprecedented drought, he said.

ALSO READ | M Venkaiah Naidu: Seeking loan waiver has become fashion nowadays

Raja alleged that the Modi government had not attended to farmers’ problems even three years after coming to power. There was no answer from the centre on setting up Cauvery Management board, Neduvassal issue, price stabilisation fund and other issues.

In a veiled reference to union Minister Venkaiah Naidu’s statement that loan waivers have become a fashion now, he said it was condemnable and government should address the plight of agriculturists.

Demanding that the government implement the Swaminathan committee recommendations, he alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken several decisions over the last three years ‘experimentally.’

Public sector companies were under threat of being privatised, there was under employment and job losses and the IT sector was in crisis, he alleged. On GST rollout on July 1, he said one has to wait and see about its benefits and defects as it is new to all.

ALSO READ: Sharad Pawar terms farm loan waiver by Maharashtra government as inadequate