The agitating Odisha farmers under the banner of Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS) Friday said they would launch civil disobedience movement from November 15 to press for their demands.
On Monday, police stopped the farmers on the National Highway before they could enter Bhubaneswar where a mass convention was planned to highlight the issues facing them.
NNKS national convener Akshya Kumar, who had earlier rejected the state government's inter-ministerial committee to hold discussion on the farmers' issues, said the stir would begin from November 15.
"Our activists will stage demonstration before all the police stations across the state on November 15 protesting the police role in preventing the farmers' entry into the state capital for holding congregation," Kumar told reporters here.
Criticising the state government for foiling the farmers' rally, Kumar said the police arrested them before they could enter the state capital on November 5. The government used police to prevent farmers entry, he said.
The farmers would also hold dharna in all the gram panchayats in Odisha on November 12, Kumar said.
Asked about the government's inter-ministerial panel headed by finance minister S B Behera, the NNKS leader said: "We have already rejected the government committee as this will not solve the problems of farmers."
"We had demanded the state government to provide Rs 21,600 crore stipend to 36 lakh farmers and announce an ordinance to this effect. We have decided that the farmers will continue civil disobedience in all villages, tehsils, blocks and the district headquarters till the state government issues the ordinance," Kumar said.
He said the NNKS has been demanding '3Ps' (price on agricultural produces, pension for both young and old farmers and prestige in government offices) for the past eight years.
However, the government has not been able to fulfil any of the three demands, Kumar said adding that the agitation will continue till the government constitutes a farmer welfare fund.
Only after the farmers marched towards the state capital on Monday, the state government had formed an inter-ministerial committee to look into the demands of the farmers, he pointed out.
The committee, with Finance Minister S B Behera as chairperson, along with ministers of Agriculture, Panchayati Raj and Cooperation as other members, would discuss the demands of the farmers.
"The committee will frame a term of reference (ToR) on the basis of which the demands of the farmers would be discussed," Behera had said.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)