The ‘political soap opera’ being played out between Union Minister Narayan Rane and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray was nothing but ‘a ploy’ on the part of the ruling and Opposition politicos to divert attention from vital issues affecting farmers in the State, alleged former MP and farmer leader Raju Shetti.
Mr. Shetti, who heads the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS), chastised both the Central and the State governments while pointing out that the farmers were protesting against the import of genetically modified soybean and the crashing prices of tomatoes.
The former two-time MP from Hatkanangale in Kolhapur district said that he was planning a major protest on September 1 in Kolhapur to demand recompense for farmers whose croplands had been destroyed by the recent floods as well as by the unseasonal rains last year.
“At a time when tomato prices have dangerously crashed, the State government and the ruling Shiv Sena, instead of mulling relief measures, is busy playing tit-for-tat with Narayan Rane. This apathy towards farmers’ issues is deplorable,” said Mr. Shetti.
The SSS’ protest, named ‘Panchganga Parikrama’ would see Mr. Shetti and his activists attempting water immersion.
Sugarcane price
The farmer leader further hit out at the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) for recommending that the Centre increase the fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane growers by a mere ₹50 a quintal.
“In 2012, the commission had fixed the FRP at ₹1,700 per quintal. At that time, the diesel price was ₹46 a litre. Today, the diesel price has more than doubled, ratcheting to ₹98 per litre. As per the CACP’s recommendations, the FRP will increase by a paltry ₹50, that is, ₹2,900 per quintal. Does the commission fix the FRP by taking into account rising production costs or does it do so as per political convenience?” Mr. Shetti said, remarking that farmers would not be able to survive unless the FRP was fixed at ₹3,500 per quintal.
He said that the CACP utterly lacked in logic while giving its suggestions to the Centre.
“I request the wits in the CACP to explain the arithmetic here while recommending the FRP…rather than sitting comfortably in an air-conditioned room and deciding the FRP amount, members of the CACP should visit farmers in the field and check the situation,” exhorted Mr. Shetti.
Likewise, the Left-affiliated All-India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) warned that it would stage massive protests in front of the residences of the leaders of both ruling and Opposition parties if it continued to waste time on ‘non-issues’.
“Maharashtra’s tomato growers have fallen on hard times once again. So much so, that even transporting the vegetable to the market is proving to be a loss-making trip for the average farmer, who is forced to sell his produce at ₹1 or 2 per kilo. At a time when the State’s farmers are in the throes of such a grave crisis, we warn both the MVA and the BJP leadership to stop playing silly politics on non-issues [alluding to the Rane-Thackeray spat],” said Ajit Nawale of the AIKS.
Published - August 30, 2021 12:54 pm IST
