Paddy farmers across the State are up in arms against the government for its failure to pay them for the second-crop paddy procured five months ago. The government has apparently not heeded the demands and protests of the farmers.
The farmers are planning to observe a black day on August 17 (Chingam 1), the Farmers Day, in protest against the government’s apathy. Efforts by government officials to dissuade the farmer organisations from going ahead with their decision did not yield any results.
Farmers under the Desiya Karshaka Samajam (DKS) will burn the effigies of Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal and Agriculture Minister P. Prasad in front of the District Collectorate here on August 16. “The callous attitude of the Finance Minister and the Agriculture Minister was responsible for the delay in the payment for the farmers. These two Ministers are primarily responsible for the current crisis,” said DKS president Muthalamthodu Mani.
“The government should have allocated budgetary funds for paddy procurement, and reached an accord with the banks and mill owners even before the harvesting of the second crop of paddy,” said Mr. Mani.
Although the government said that the farmers would be paid for the paddy procured from them many times, it failed to keep its word, driving the farmers to a series of protests.
The collective forum of paddy farmer groups said that they would take out a march to agriculture offices on August 17. They said they would stay away from the government’s celebrations on the Farmers Day.
Although the District Principal Agriculture Officer assured the farmers that the government had sanctioned ₹180 crore towards payment for the paddy procured, the farmers did not yield to his assuaging words. They said that they had been listening to it for long.
The BJP on Tuesday gheraoed the Supplyco regional manager and assistant regional manager in protest against the government’s failure to pay the farmers. BJP State general secretary C. Krishnakumar led the gherao.
BJP district president K.M. Haridas, district general secretary A.K. Omanakuttan, and Karshaka Morcha district president K. Venu were among those who took part in the protest. Police arrested and removed the protestors.
