Hundreds of farmers tried to lay siege to the office of Mysuru MP Pratap Simmha here on Monday accusing him of failing in his duties to bring the farmers’ problems to the notice of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.
The farmers were stopped by the police when they tried to enter the MP’s office and they raised slogans against the MP. “The MP is accessible to us and we need help to find him,” the protesting farmers remarked when they did not get access to Mr. Simmha’s office for putting forth their demands.
They alleged that the MP stayed away from his office though his office was informed about the farmers’ visit.
Terming the Centre “anti-farmer”, the protesting farmers later staged a demonstration outside the MP’s office, seeking solution to their problems.
The farmers, in a memorandum submitted to the Centre through the office of the MP, sought the problems faced by them to be addressed on priority. They demanded that the “high-handedness” of the police on the farmers from Punjab and Haryana must stop and a law guaranteeing MSP for crops be introduced.
In a statement here, the farmers, under the banner of State Sugarcane Growers’ Association, alleged that the Centre was using force to suppress the voice of farmers. “Human rights violation was taking place with the high-handedness of the police on the farmers of Punjab and Haryana,” they charged.
“The peaceful and democratic protests were being stifled with the farmers stopping to enter Delhi on its borders. The Centre was using various means to suppress the voices of farmers,” they alleged.
They stated that the farmers’ movement cannot be stifled using force as 70 per cent of farmers were making demands that were justified and not seeking alms from the Centre.
All farm produce must get the MSP cover, and a legislation on this has to be passed, besides farm loan waiver, they demanded.
Their other demands include pension for farmers who are above 60 years of age; jobs for the next kin of 750 farmers who lost their lives during agitation in Delhi.
The farmers said they will continue to hold protests until their demands are fully met.
Farmer leaders including Attahalli Devaraja, Baradanapura Nagaraj, and others were present.
