The disinterest the authorities showed to convene a special joint parliament session to discuss farmers’ distresses indicates that still farmers are nowhere near the priority circle of the policy makers.
Last year, the country witnessed several farmers’ protests –it was the Long March organised by the Maharashtra farmers in their state that influenced those protests. Among all, the most powerful one was the one organised recently near the parliament street, demanding a special joint parliament session to discuss farmers’ distresses. Unprecedentedly, the protest received the support of several mainstream political parties. Even, a former Prime Minister reached the venue to express his solidarity with the cause raised by the protest.
During the protest, the protesters released a Charter of Demands for Farmers. It was the most important political move made during the protest. Among many things, the charter demanded the enactment of the Farmers’ Right to Guaranteed Remunerative Minimum Support Price for Agricultural Commodities bill and Farmers’ Freedom from Indebtedness bill.
The protesters also released a document explaining how the proposed special joint parliament session should be conducted and what all things should be discussed during that session.
Farmers deserve the special care of authorities. The agricultural sector, which plays a vital role in ensuring food security, is the biggest employer, yet is the least supported. It is not wrong to call India as the land of farmers. It is shameful that there is no special joint parliament session for farmers at least once in a year in the country.
Vignesh. S. G
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