Farmers’ groups to support political party that accepts its manifesto
The Hindu
Farmers’ groups led by Federation of Karnataka Farmers’ Associations assured to pledge support to the political party accepting the farmers’ manifesto it had released recently in connection with the upcoming Assembly elections
Farmers’ groups led by Federation of Karnataka Farmers’ Associations assured to pledge support to the political party accepting the farmers’ manifesto it had released recently in connection with the upcoming Assembly elections.
Federation president Kurubur Shanthakumar, who is also the President of Karnataka Sugarcane Growers’ Association, said representatives of Congress, JD(S) and Aam Admi Party (AAP) had already participated in a discussion with the farmers’ groups in Bengaluru.
“They promised to come back to us after discussing some of demands listed in the manifesto with their party leaders. We will give them another 15 days’ time to respond”, Mr. Shanthakumar said.
While the Congress, JD (S) and AAP participated in a discussion with them in Bengaluru, the ruling BJP had stayed away. “The BJP had insulted the farmers by not turning up for the discussion despite an invitation sent by the farmers’ groups,” said Mr. Shanthakumar criticising the saffron party for its alleged indifference towards the farmers.
The farmers’ groups were creating awareness about the manifesto among the people in rural areas of Karnataka. Already, meetings in this regard had been held in various districts of the State. “A State-level meeting on the manifesto will be held either in Davangere or Dharwad around April 20 to take a final decision on extending support to the political party that assures to implement its manifesto,” he said.
The farmers’ manifesto released by the farmers groups has demanded among other things a minimum income guarantee programme for farmers, 12 hours of uninterrupted power supply every day to irrigation pumpsets during the day time, discontinue the practice of considering cibil score before issuing agricultural loans, a legislation guaranteeing minimum support price to agricultural commodities, extend the crop insurance scheme to cover all crops, provide reservation in jobs to girls marrying boys engaged in agricultural in rural areas and abolish GST on agricultural produce and agricultural implements.