Congress Working Committee member and former Chief Minister A.K. Antony on Tuesday warned the Union government of intense farmers’ agitations supported by the Congress if it failed to address the problems plaguing the farming sector.
Inaugurating a mammoth farmers’ get-together organised by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee here, Mr. Antony said the situation emerging in the country necessitated a second freedom struggle in which farmers and agricultural workers would play a lead role.
Mr. Antony also accused the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the State of not coming out in support of farmers who had been at the receiving end of plummeting prices of paddy, rubber, areca nut, coconut, and tea. There was severe crisis in the animal husbandry sector as well, he said.
He said the parties ruling the Centre and the State, during their election campaign, had promised the sky to the farmers and the agrarian sector but it turned out to be a false promise.
“All agricultural loans up to ₹2 lakh must be written off. Those engaged in animal husbandry activities must be supported by providing 50% subsidy on cattle feed,” he said.
“The State government must immediately ensure support prices to crops. The State government should immediately set up an Agriculture Prices Commission, apart from paying outstanding dues to paddy farmers to the tune of ₹193.16 crore. The minimum price of rubber must be fixed at ₹200 per kg,” he said.
KPCC president M.M. Hassan, K.C. Venugopal, MP, and District Congress Committee president V.K. Sreekandan addressed the gathering.