To raise their demands at the national level, the consortium of Indian farmers' associations has decided to hold a 'dharna' at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on December 12.
The main demands of the consortium include immediate implementation of recommendations of the Swaminathan commission, a new policy for sugar mills and sugar export, Rs 1,000-hike in minimum support price (MSP) of wheat and fixed price for all long grain varieties of paddy, especially basmati. In this regard, meetings of associations were being held in all districts of Punjab to make the 'dharna' a great success.
Satnam Singh Behru, leader of the consortium, said members of the associations were visiting farmers of all states, including Punjab and Haryana, to ensure participation of a maximum number of farmers.
Behru said that associations would also take the support of the MPs of the country and ask them to join the protest.
He said, "During the coming Lok Sabha elections, farmers associations will openly support those MPs, who will fight for our demands and raise our demands in Parliament".
Accusing the Congress-led UPA government at the centre of maltreating the farmers, P Chengal Reddy, secretary general of CIFA, said that the union government was not taking farmers' demands seriously.
{{/usCountry}}Accusing the Congress-led UPA government at the centre of maltreating the farmers, P Chengal Reddy, secretary general of CIFA, said that the union government was not taking farmers' demands seriously.
{{/usCountry}}"Though the government has implemented sixth and seventh pay commissions for its employees, but it never gives a second thought to our long pending demand for the implementation of the report of the Swaminathan commission".
He said several farmers' unions including Bharaitya Kisan Sangh (Punjab), Krantikari Kisan Forum (Madhya Pradesh), Khetakari Sangathan (Maharasthra) have already extended their support to the protest.