Farmers’ body calls for all-India stir on June 16

ALLAHABAD: The central executive committee (CEC) of the All India Kisan Majdoor Sabha (AIKMS) has called upon all units to organise protests on June 16.

The farmers are demanding waiver of all farming loans, electricity bills and profitable minimum selling price (MSP) of all crops at 1.5 times the cost of production as per Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations. Several other peasant bodies are also expected to hold highway blockades on the day.

Holding the Madhya Pradesh government accountable and demanding arrest of officials responsible for firing on and killing six protesting farmers in Mandsaur, AIKMS criticised the Bhartiya Kisan Sangh for betraying farmers by withdrawing from the agitation and the government for sending the CRPF to fire on peasants.

“The main reason for agricultural crisis is the BJP government’s desire, like earlier UPA, to serve the MNC and Indian corporate who sell high-cost seeds, insecticides, diesel, at very high rates and purchase cheap crops during harvest to impoverish the farmers,” said Ashish Mital, general secretary, AIKMS, in a communiqué issued on Wednesday.

“PM Modi had promised loan waiver and implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s report but they are crushing peasant dissent in blood,” he said. If everything is fine, then why are farmers in Madhya Pradesh committing suicide, and why is there such a chaotic situation? Prices of everything that a farmer needs are spiraling, whether it is diesel, fertiliser or seeds. How Should it be allowed to go on? I will appreciate if the central government tells us what it has really done for farmers in the last three years. I will appreciate it if the Madhya Pradesh government tells us what it has done for farmers. We needed answers from

Just see what will happen. Do you think I am a man who can consider such things?