The leaders of the Paschima Odisha Krushak Sangathan Samanwaya Samity (POKSSS) have urged upon the farmers of the region to ask 15 questions to all political parties who are coming to them seeking votes.
They alleged that the two major national political parties, the BJP and the Congress, have miserably failed to safeguard the farmers’ interest. And, it is the ruling BJD in Odisha, which also did the same, they lamented.
“Political leaders make promises not to fulfill it after elections,” charged farmer leaders Lingaraj and Ashok Pradhan, who are convenors of the POKSSS. They told the farmers to ask the ruling party BJP why they didn’t implement the recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee reports for the welfare of the farmers although they made election promise for it in the 2014 election manifesto. They further said that the present Government in the Centre submitted an affidavit in the in the Supreme Court that if recommendation of the Swaminathan Committee be implemented, the very economy of the country would be devastated. “If it is true, then why did BJP make election promise,” they asked.
The POKSSS leaders further asked if the Government in the Centre is lenient towards Rs 40,000-50,000 lakh loan of the industrialists, then why it is not considering waving all farm loans. They also raised the issue of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana which is nothing but another way of exploiting the farmers and benefitting the insurance companies.
The POKSSS also questioned when the Swaminathan Committee submitted its reports and recommendations in the year 2006, what had stopped the then Congress led UPA Government to implement it. “Wasn’t eight years up to 2014 sufficient for the UPA Government for implementation of the recommendations for farmers’ interest,” Pradhan and Lingaraj asked.
They have their questionnaire for the ruling BJD in the State pertaining to paddy MSP hike, Odisha Government’s silence on providing bonus to paddy farmers, poor irrigation facility etc.
The POKSSS leaders further asked why there is not a single ‘Model Mandi’ all over the State. They asked what stops the Governments to establish ‘Krushak Aya Commission’ and considering paying pension to farmers instead of ‘freebies’ for votes.