The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee has decided to conduct the third phase of its Kisan Mukti Yatra from September 16 to 23. Starting with Telangana on September 16, the yatra would cover Andhra Pradesh (Sept. 17 and 18), Tamil Nadu (Sept. 19, 20), Kerala (Sept. 21) and Karnataka (Sept. 22, 23). This would be followed by a public meeting, Kisan Sadan, at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on November 20, coinciding with the winter session of the Parliament. Members of the 24 farmers’ bodies which came together to form the sangharsh committee would participate in the yatras stressing the need for implementation of the promises made by successive governments.
The yatra in would be organised in support of the demand for total waiver of loans obtained by farmers. The committee demanded that the government implement the recommendation made by M.S. Swaminathan commission for providing minimum support price calculated on the basis of one-and-a-half times the input costs incurred by farmers. The committee expressed concern that the agriculture sector had become non-remunerative as the support from the government is not forthcoming and this was, in turn, leading to spate of suicides by farmers. The Congress government did not implement the recommendations of Swaminathan commission during its 10-year rule while the BJP which assured implementation of the recommendations if voted to power, before the 2014 elections, did not take steps to fulfil the promise three-and-a-half years after it came to power. The two governments which were keen on announcing huge waivers to corporates are however found wanting when it comes to farmers, the panel alleged.