Daijiworld Media Network - Sagar
Sagar (Shivamogga), Jun 15: Swaraj Abhiyan, Karnataka kick-started its nationwide Jai Kisan movement from Kaagod on Sunday June 14, in the presence of several eminent people like Na D'Souza, Chukki Nanjundaswamy, Sridhar Kallahalla, Raghavendra Thane, Vinod, Manohar Elavarthi and a number of farmers.
A press release from Swaraj Abhiyan, Karnataka unit stated, "We have been seeing every political party holding rallies in the name of farmers, but it's sad that no one is actually reaching out to the farmers, to understand their distress and plight. Starting today, as part of the initial phase of Jai Kisan movement, Swaraj Abhiyan has started a mass-contact programme, where the volunteers in every state will reach out to farmers to understand their problems and establish a dialogue with them.
"Over the next two months, the volunteers will cover around one lac villages nationally and around 10,000 villages in Karnataka to tell the farming community and villagers about the fraud and cheating being done against them by successive governments. Swaraj Abhiyan aims to become a strong voice against the injustice done to farmers by anyone and everyone who has come to power," the release stated.
"Swaraj Abhiyan has submitted its suggestions to the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Land Bill demanding to take back the anti-farmer provisions brought through the second amendment bill of 2015. The core issue of farmers plight is the fact that farming as a profession is not profitable. Whatever be the inflation, whatever be the general price rise of commodities, seeds, fertilizers, urea, etc, crop prices are never increased in similar proportion. Swaraj Abhiyan has demanded that a Minimum Income Act for Farmers be passed so that they are not compelled to take suicide as a means to free themselves from the burden of loans," the release added.
The demands of Jai Kisan movement include:
i) Withdrawal of the Land Acquisition Second Amendment Bill 2015
ii) Demand for Farmers’ Minimum Income Guarantee Act
iii) Comprehensive, assured and adequate compensation against natural calamity
Farmers who wish to be a part of the Jai Kisan movement during the mass-contact programme will send pots of soil, 'kalashas' from their village. Thousands of kalashas from across the country will be sent to the parliament in New Delhi. In the second phase of Jai Kisan movement, a 'tractor-march' to the parliament by farmers led by Yogendra Yadav will take place. The march will start on August 1 from Punjab and reach Delhi moving through Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The march will culminate on August 10, during the monsoon session of parliament with kalashas from thousands of farmers belonging to villages from all parts of the country presented before the Parliament, said Swaraj Abhiyan, Karnataka in the press release.
Swaraj Abhiyan has released the number 011-4666-6662 to which people willing to be a part of the Jai Kisan Movement can give a missed call.
"Yogendra Yadav has said on the launching of Jai Kisan movement, "This is a movement of the farmers, but not just for farmers, nor merely by the farmers. We also aim to involve urban citizens, especially youth. This is a movement for reshaping the country's future,", states the release.