Hry gears up to hold mega rallies to reach out to farmers

In an attempt to reach out to the farming community in the state ahead of 2019 general elections, the Manohar Lal Khattar Government has geared up to organise mega ‘Kisan Sammelans’ in the State.

After Shiromani Akali Dal’s July 11 thanksgiving rally at Punjab’s Malout, Haryana Government will also organize four mega rallies in the state to express gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the increase in minimum support price (MSP) of Kharif crops and connect with the farmers of the state.

First such rally would be organized in Mahendragarh district on July 21, said Haryana Education and Tourism Minister Ram Bilas Sharma, while talking to the mediapersons.

Sharma said that Chief Minister Manohar Lal, state cabinet ministers, Union Cabinet ministers will attend the mega thanksgiving rally on July 21.

Lauding the Centre’s decision, he said that with the increase in MSP, the farmers of Haryana stand to gain about Rs 1,500 crore out of which Rs 1,200 crore will be against paddy and wheat crops only,

“The historic decision of the Union Government will help boost farmers’ income,” he added.

After Ram Bilas Sharma’s constituency Mahendragarh, such thanksgiving rallies or Kisan Sammelans will be organized in Kurukshetra’s Shahabad on July 22, Nuh’s Ferozepur Jhirka on July 27 and Hisar’s Barwala on August 5.

Earlier this week, the Chief Minister had, at a meeting with BJP MLAs directed them to gear up for the Kisan Sammelans and to ensure presence of large number of farmers at the rallies.

The state BJP has also asked its party workers to visit villages and give information to farmers regarding various welfare schemes launched by the government.

In the past, the Indian National Lok Dal had also held ‘Kisan Sammelan’ on March 7 in New Delhi while the Congress had held kisan panchayats, satyagrah dharnas to lend their support to the demands of the farming community.

Notably, the State Government had earlier this year set up ‘Haryana Kisan Kalyan Pradhikaran’ aimed at pacifying the agitating farmers in various parts of the state.

Various farmers unions had accused the BJP led Central and Haryana Government’s retracting from its poll promises and ignoring the plight of farmers. Resentment had also been brewing among farmers against the BJP Government over the demands of implementation of Swaminathan report, loan waiver for debt-ridden farmers among other issues.