SRINAGAR: J&K Kisan Tehreek (JKKT) held one day conference at Dak Bangalow Anantnag on the issues confronting Kisans in the region.
The conference was presided over by Ghulam Hassan Hargah Kisan leader.
Kisans across the district participated while demanding waiver on all agricultural loans and withdrawal of water tax. The conference expressed serious concerns over the plight of kisans in the region
While addressing the conference, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami State President CITU J&K said that the real issue which farmers are facing and demanding for a long is a fair price for their produce by ensuring a minimum support price for all crops to cover the production plus 50 percent profit. “This legitimate demand despite repeated promise/assurances has not been conceded till date.” He expressed serious concern over the continuous attacks on the livelihood of the kisans by the policies pursued by this BJP government.
He said during the first three years of the Modi government (2014-17), Rs 72,000 crore loans of the Adani group had been written off and in the past five years (2017-22), public sector banks had written off loans worth Rs 7.27 lakh crore. “Are these not freebies for corporates? What is the justification for wanting to prevent welfare measures like food, education, and travel subsidies for the poor and downtrodden but continuing to give large tax breaks for corporates?”
He stressed that all the kisan irrespective of their affiliations must come together for a united struggle to get their legitimate demands accepted.
Addressing the conference, Ghulam Nabi Malik, General Secretary Kisan Tehreek said that agriculture has totally been neglected by the government despite a major chunk of the population being dependent on this sector. He said the amendments to the land laws have created uncertainty and distress among the poor peasant community. The administration has taken over a large chunk of state, kacharie, shamilat lands which had been under the cultivation of farmers for decades.
He demanded the restoration of subsidies and the expansion of the public procurement system. The biggest challenge facing the growers and kisans is the menace of pests and diseases and in absence of any foolproof mechanism to curb the sub-standard and spurious pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers the problems of kisans are further aggravated. Referring to the water tax leveled upon farmers, he demanded revocation of the order and said the decision to waive off the water tax was taken by the then state government.
The conference was also addressed by Gh Nabi Adigami, Zahoor Ahmad Rather, Gh Hassan Hargah, Mohammad Ramzan Seer, and Javid Ahmad Bhat Kisan leaders.
