FARMERS REMAIN UNRECOGNISED & INVISIBLE, reports AIKSCC and also adds on to say that the Central Govt. has largely ignored the plight that is being faced by farmers, farm-workers and rural people in the context due to the nationwide lockdown. The issues range from difficulty in harvesting crops due to social distancing norms and workforce being compelled to be indoors, non-availability of transport to take crops to markets, mandis and markets remaining closed or barely open. To compound problems, many parts of the country saw inclement weather - untimely rain and hailstorms, which destroyed standing crops. Despite such overwhelming odds, farmers of the nation have worked hard and provided the necessary food resources to the whole country during this lockdown but no government has yet recognized the national food security service rendered by farmers.
While the farmers have suffered huge losses in Rabi crop due hailstorms and rain, they were forcefully locked down and were unable to tend their fields which led to further damage. The entire harvesting has been done in rather difficult conditions, especially due to the prolonged restrictions, yet they worked hard to ensure that the granary remains full and people of the country do not go hungry. Under conditions of blockade and restricted private purchase, the Govt. promised them procurement from the field at Minimum Support Prices. AIKSCC also reports that the farmer needs new loans to be sanctioned for the Kharif crop, but they find that the Central Govt. is not ready to provide any relief to them.
AIKSCC has decided to launch a nationwide campaign for loan waiver of all farmers, particularly the demand to immediately waive off the entire KCC loan and renew its new allocation without conditions. In the above context, AIKSCC has decided to launch a slew of protests and agitational programs in the very near future, starting with a call to all farmer and agricultural labour organisations to organise a protest campaign to demand that the Govt. waive of all loans of all peasants to help them to tide over the grave crisis that has resulted from the Corona Virus Pandemic. As a first step, AIKSCC had a social media campaign on the issue on May 5, at 4 pm, beginning with Twitter handle releases. This was in coordination with other farmer organisations of the country.
Content Courtesy: Press Release AIKSCC
