TN farmers to rally from Kumari to Delhi demanding profitable MSP

TIRUCHY: Demanding the Union government to announce the promised Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 2,500 per quintal for paddy and Rs 4,000 per tonne for sugarcane, farmers from the state have decided to take out a rally from Kanniyakumari to Delhi from March 1 and they have planned to seek the support of non-BJP ruling state Chief Ministers during their march.

A resolution to this effect was passed at a meeting of office-bearers of Coordination Committee of All Farmers Associations held here on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, PR Pandian, coordinator of the committee, said that when farmers were on an indefinite protest demanding profitable MSP for their produce, the Prime Minister appealed to the farmers to withdraw the protest promising to fulfil their demands and the agitators obliged. “But even after a year of the withdrawal of the protest, no announcement was made. As the Lok Sabha elections are due next year and only some weeks are left for the last Union Budget of the present Modi regime, the government should keep its promise by making an announcement on our demands in it,” he said.

With the demand for profitable MSP, farmers have decided to commence a rally to Delhi from Kanniyakumari from March 1. The Coordination Committee of All Farmers Associations will lead the rally through 12 states and seek the support of the non-BJP ruling CMs en route. “After reaching Delhi, we will seek an appointment with the President to present our demands. If we are permitted, we will hand over a petition to the President. At the same time, this is not a political rally but a march for our livelihood and seeking justice for the farming community,” Pandian said.

Meanwhile, Pandian criticised the state government for failing to provide any concrete solution to farmers issues. “Condemning the hike in the fertilizer price and production costs, farmers staged a protest in Chennai demanding Rs 3,000 per quintal for paddy and Rs 4,500 per tonne for sugarcane. But, Chief Minister MK Stalin has not so far responded to this issue,” charged Pandian.

Vivasayigal Sangam plans protest on Jan 21 in support of cane farmers

TIRUCHY: Extending support to sugarcane farmers, who have been protesting for the past 50 days seeking arrears from the Thiru Arooran Sugar Limited, Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam has decided to hold a statewide protest, informed Sangam’s state general secretary Sami Natarajan on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters, Natarajan said, the Thiru Arooran Sugar Limited stopped crushing activities in 2019 and dues worth Rs 112 crore has not yet been paid to farmers so far. Similarly, the administration had obtained a loan of Rs 200 crore in as many as 12 banks in the name of 6,000 farmers and failed to pay the EMI, which landed the farmers in trouble and bank officials were pressuring farmers. However, the sugar mill has changed and the new administration has been trying to resume crushing activities without settling the issues, including dues to farmers. Farmers, who have been protesting for past 50 days, appealed to the Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister to intervene and resolve their issues. “But nothing has happened till date,” Natarajan said.

In such a situation, the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam as token of solidarity has decided to hold a statewide protest in support of the protesting cane farmers on January 21 in front of the RDO offices in all the districts demanding to settle the dues with interest, he said. Meanwhile, the sugarcane farmers staged a shirtless protest on Wednesday. The protestors claimed that the police have been trying to remove them by force.