With farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Haryana up in arms against respective state governments demanding crop loan waiver, resentment among farmers is brewing in Uttar Pradesh. The farmers have threatened to block supply of vegetables and milk in cities demanding a CBI probe into killing of six farmers in Mandsaur.
Bharatiya Kisan Union spokesman Alok Verma told 'The Pioneer' that the outfit will be holding its national executive from June 16-18 in Haridwar where it could decide on protest but till then an appeal has been issued to farmers not to send their produce to cities.
“We will not hold any blockade. We will only ask villagers not to send their vegetables and milk to the cities. This is a token protest in support of our brothers in MP and Maharashtra, who are on a war path,” Verma said.
The BKU spkesman said that farmers have always beeen on the receiving end. “It was a peaceful agitation at Mandsaur but the police opened fire for reasons best known to them resulting in t he death of six innocent farmers. The Madhya Pradesh government has sanctioned Rs 1 crore as ex-gratia, we welcome that but no amount of money can bring back a life,” Verma said.
“Our agitation will be to express solidarity with the agitating farmers of Madhya Pradesh and Maharshtra,” he said and added that BKU’s national executive meeting will be very crucial.
Meanwhile, farmers staged protest in Bahraich and lucknow in support of MP farmers with president of Rashtriya Kisan Manch Shekhar Dixit threatening a Mandsaur-like stir if farmers’ problems were not addressed by the Yogi Government.
Agriculture minister Surya Pratap Shahi however said that the government was doing its best to extend help to farmers.
“The crop loan of Rs 1 lakh would be waived of the day government passes budget. Wheat Purchase Centres were doing brisk business as over 32 lakh meteric tonnes of wheat has been purchased and cane dues of over Rs 22,190 crore have been cleared," Shahi said.