Southern States
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Kerala
Cong., CPI(M) to jointly fight for farmers
By Our Special Correspondent
KOZHIKODE, JAN. 24. In a significant move aimed at retaining farmers' support, major political parties have joined hands to organise protests for measures to improve the farmers' lot.
A joint front has been formed in Wayanad for the purpose by representatives of parties having divergent views like the Congress, CPI(M) and Janata Dal (Secular). Presidents of the district units of all major political parties, including the CPI(M) Red Flag were present at the meeting held today in Kalpetta.
Prominent leaders of these parties, including KPCC president, K. Muraleedharan, the Janata Dal (Secular) State president, M.P. Veerendrakumar, and the CPI(M) MP, A.P. Abdullakutty, promised to fight for farmers' cause at the meeting.
The Wayanad district secretary of CPI(M), P.A. Mohammed said that similar joint agitations for farmers' cause had taken place in 1980s and in early 1990s also. The all-party front has started preparations to organise protests in Wayanad which has a large population of farmers.
Inaugurating the meeting, Mr. Muraleedharan described the coming together of parties having different political hues for farmers' cause as a meaningful alliance that would be able to bring benefit to the farmers.
Mr. Muraleedharan had a dig at the Indian Farmers' Movement (Infam) and other non-political movements that had started speaking up for farmers. He said the problem of farmers could not be solved "by exporting a few kilgrams of coffee or rubber".
The KPCC president promised farmers that MPs from Kerala would speak up for them in one voice in Parliament. The all-party front called for a hartal in Wayanad district on January 31 to press for immediate measures to ease the hardships facing farmers. The front demanded allocation of Rs. 25 crores to rescue the Wayanad farmers from financial distress and urged the State Government to release the amount from its coffers.
At a press conference later, spokesmen of the front demanded steps for procurement of coffee through the State Trading Corporation and the Nafed and its export. Coffee is a major source of income for the Wayanad farmers.
The front leaders pointed out that the sharp decline in prices of coffee, ginger, pepper, arecanut and tea had plunged farmers in Wayanad into deep financial crisis.
The financial distress of farmers has had a cascading effect on the entire society of the district. "Effective intervention by the Central and State Governments is an urgent need,'' the president of the farmers front, K.P. Thomas, and the general convener, P.A. Mohammed, said at the Press conference.
The front recommended a package of measures to bring relief to farmers. Among these are financial assistance to farmers whose land holdings are below five acres, bank loans at subsidised interest rates, writing off of loans sanctioned by the Coffee Board, hiking import levy on coffee and farm produces to 300 per cent, establishment of factories to manufacture instant coffee and coffee powder, setting up of agro-industries and steps to increase coffee consumption.
The farmers would also stage a fast in front of the Wayanad Collectorate on January 30.
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