The national level farmers’ outfit, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), on Thursday appreciated the Congress party’s move to present a private member bill demanding debt waiver and relief — a move expected to embarrass the ruling SAD-BJP combine.
BKU’s national president and former MP Bhupinder Singh Mann welcomed the initiative taken by Congress MlA from Dera Baba Nanak Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa.
“All parties should come forward, beyond party and political affiliations, and support this Bill. This Bill is a litmus test for Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his Government. All farmers are closely watching what stand will Badal take on this. If he opposes this Bill, the mask that he is wearing of being farmer-friendly will be broken to expose his true face,” said Mann.
BKU chief said that farmers have virtually become paupers during the Badal Government especially due to rampant corruption in mandis. Other scams on insecticides, seeds are other examples, he said.
He said that farmers of Punjab are committing suicides due to grave economic stress. “The Agriculture sector is passing through a grave crisis and needs to be addressed on priority basis. The farmers currently are on the verge of economic break down and they do not know who to look upto,” he said.
Mann said that contrary to normal belief, the farmers are suffering due to severe Negative Aggregate Measurement of Support (negative subsidy) on almost all crops which has resulted in heavy distortion in agriculture economy which was for the first time disclosed on the questions asked by me in the Rajya Sabha.