Centre failed to fulfil promises made to farmers, says AIKS leader

All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) general secretary Vijoo Krishnan on Monday said the BJP-led government had failed to fulfil its promises to farmers.

He was speaking at the 31st State conference of Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Association being held in Thoothukudi.

Mr. Krishnan said the Narendra Modi-led government had made several promises to farmers before coming to power. However, promises such as providing farmers with a Minimum Support Price that is 50% above the cost of production, subsidies for fertilizers and agricultural inputs and farm loan waivers, had not been implemented.

Data on suicides among farmers and agricultural workers remained a matter of concern. Suicides among tenant, women and tribal farmers were also not being fully recorded in the official data.

While the government was refusing to waive farmers’ loans, large corporate loans were being waived of on a large scale. A similar approach should be adopted towards farmers’ loans as well. The AIKS would continue to organise protests to protect the rights, land ownership and livelihoods of farmers, he added.

CPI(M) State Secretary P. Shanmugam, AIKS vice-president Hannan Mollah and members of Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Association, AIKS, and other farmers organisations participated in the conference.