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 in support of the demands for 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 Bhartiye Kisan Sangh for betraying farmers by withdrawing from the agitation and the government for sending the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to fire on peasants.
“The main reason for agricultural crises is the BJP government’s desire, like earlier UPA, to serve the MNC and Indian cor- porate who sell high-cost seeds, insecticides, diesel, at very high rates and purchase cheap crops during harvest to impoverish the farmers. While the central government is considering waiving the NPAs of corporate houses worth ₹6.7 lakh crore and every year it gives corporate tax relief of ₹6 lakh crore, it has denounced loan waivers for farmer even though 4 lakh farmers have committed suicide due to this policy,” said Ashish Mital, general secretary, AIKMS, in a communiqué issued on Wednesday.
The BJP and RSS are intolerant and insensitive towards people who ask for accountability. “PM Modi had promised loan waiver and implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s report but it is crushing peasant dissent in blood,” he said.
AIKMS also criticised the Uttar Pradesh government for delaying loan waivers till the budget in July and for failing to issue the next kisan credit card (KCC) loans.