Madurai farmers stage protest to show solidarity with their Punjab counterparts

Extending support to the protesting farmers at Shambhu border in Punjab, members of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (a non-political entity) of Madurai zone staged a protest outside railway junction here on Monday. 

M.P. Raman, coordination committee head, Tamil Nadu All Farmers Association Federation, who led the protest, said the farmers’ protest had become an annual affair.  “When the government listens to the farmers, who provide food to the nation, no one is going to trouble the smooth functioning of the State,” he said. 

“The Union government has recently announced that free electricity will not be provided to farmers in Tamil Nadu, and if the State continues to give, the Union government would stop its annual assistance given to maintain the electricity lines in the State,” he alleged.  

When lakhs of farmers were making do with a little profit only because of the free electricity, stopping it would push many away from farming, he said.  

As per the recommendations of M S Swaminathan Committee report, Minimum Support Price (MSP) should be fixed for all crops. Since, MSP exists only for paddy and a few other crops, those farmers were suffering at the hands of middlemen and private players, he said.  

The protesters also demanded the Ministry of Agriculture to meet the demands of the protesting farmers in Punjab as their leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal who was heading the protest there was in a bad health condition.  

“To save his life and thousands of other farmers, government representatives should meet them and take note of the demands,” Mr. Raman said. 

Published - December 16, 2024 07:44 pm IST