Will be forced to eat mice if govt does not help, say Tamil Nadu farmers
NEW DELHI : Eating rats is considered distasteful by many in India, but that is what farmers in Tamil Nadu will be forced to feed on if the government does not waive their loans off and provide them with revised drought relief packages claimed these farmers.
The farmers of Tamil Nadu, who have been reeling under the pressures of one of the worst droughts to hit the state in 140 years, were seen protesting for the 15th day at Jantar Mantar on Monday, in blistering heat, with live mice caught between their teeth.
The mice are symbolic of the meagre means that they have been afforded since the drought and the subsequent Vardah cyclones that allegedly has destroyed most of their crops.
“We had approached the government for drought relief funds. Though the state had asked for around 40,000 crores (which includes the costs of destroyed crops), the central government said they would provide funds for sowing fresh yields... So we have no means to support ourselves. We will be reduced to eating rats instead of rice,” said P Ayyakannu, the leader of the farmers and the president of the national south rivers linking farmers’ association.
After the droughts, the state government had proposed that the farmers be given ₹39,565 crores, which included ₹21,708 crores as ‘compensation for loss of production in areas already sown,’ ₹6,800 crores for ‘employment generation for affected farmers and agricultural labourers,’ and ₹2,925 crore as ‘assistance for drought mitigating Public Works Department.’
However, these heads have been ignored in the central government appropriated funds, according to the farmers. The central government had granted ₹2,014.45 crores for Tamil Nadu last week, which accounted for the largest share of the central aid. The state received 40.12% of the total allocated relief funds of ₹5,020.64 crores.
The farmers first hit Delhi streets two weeks ago with skulls, which they claimed were of other farmers who had committed suicide, and have been making headlines since with their gimmicky protest ideas, which included suicide threats, and dressing up as corpses and conducting mock funerals.
Their demands remain that the central government write off their loans from nationalised banks, offer revised and “fair” relief packages and provide plausible solutions to the issues of water scarcity in Tamil Nadu. The drying up of the Tamil Nadu leg of river Kaveri is also a major concern amongst these farmers.