Hyderabad: Demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fulfill his promises to farmers and withdraw the three contentious farm laws completely, farmers have set out on a road trip to Delhi from Kanyakumari.
Their demands also include implementation of farmer welfare schemes like the Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima, uninterrupted power and water supply to farming community as is being done in Telangana.
The farmers team on the yatra, arrived in Hyderabad on Monday, as part of their efforts to seek the support of the Chief Ministers of all the non-BJP ruled states.
Led by the Coordination Committee of Tamil Nadu All Farmers Associations (Tamil Nadu Anaithu Vivasayigal Sangangalin Orunginaippu Kuzhu), the road trip titled – ‘a long journey seeking justice’ was launched on March 2 from Kanyakumari.
Other demands include a bill to provide a profitable MSP for agricultural products, a ban on genetically modified crops, the cancellation of farm loans from nationalized banks, coordinated efforts to protect the Western Ghats and water resources, the withdrawal of cases brought against protesters in the Delhi protest, a ban on corporate companies from engaging in farming and agri-marketing, the provision of organic farming inputs to small farmers, local traders, and small business owners, and the introduction of legislation to bring about these changes.
Following a meeting with farmers’ committee, Rythu Bandhu Samithi chairman Palla Rajeshwar Reddy said the issues raised by the farmers’ coordination committee will be taken up to the notice of BRS President and Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao.
On behalf of the farmers unions in Telangana and Rythu Bandhu Samithis, he extended support to the farmers’ struggle with just demands. He said the BRS will continue to fight on behalf of the farmers until the Centre completely scraps the contentious farm laws and provides legal sanctity to MSP regulations.
The Coordination Committee president PR, Samyukta Kisan Morcha leaders Shiv Kumar Kakkaji from Madhya Pradesh, and Baldev Singh from Punjab, Tamil Nadu women farmers leader Sudha Dharmalingam and Telangana farmers leader Kotapati Narasimha Naidu, also participated.