Over 1 lakh farmer to block capital by March end

--Price, prestige, pension for farmers--

--Farmer’s in danger zone: NNKS

BHUBANESWAR: Protesting State Government’s anti-farmer policy and apathetic attitude, over one lakh farmers from more than 20 districts of the State would block from either sides of the capital city by March end, said the members of Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS) on Wednesday who got bail recently in the case of agitating in front of the Chief Minister’s residence on Monday morning.

The NNKS president Akshaya Kumar said the State Government has failed to address the issues of the poor farmers of the State. “They need actual price for their paddy and other crops, prestige and pension to live with dignity, but what the Government has done for them within these years,” he questioned and said that the Government is trying to suppress the farmer’s voice.

Kumar said that various farmer organisations have been discussing with the Government to solve the farmer’s problem, but the Government doesn’t take any interest which compelled the farmers to stage protest in front of the Chief Minister’s residence. “The police arrested them in the morning, but forwarded to the court at the evening to make the case stronger so that the farmers could not get bail and stay some days in the jail,” said Kumar, adding, “The police action and conspiracy can’t stop the spirit of the movement.”

Joint-coordinator of the NNKS Seshadev Nanda said they would intensify the peasants’ movement at the grassroots level with the help of various farmers’ organisations across the State. The organisation would organise meetings at the district-level in the month of February to deliver the message of the movement against the Government’s apathy towards the farmer, he added.

While giving data about the organisation’s strength, Nanda said that over 20,000 people from 1291 villages under 194 panchayats of Jagatsinghpur district would join in the capital blockade. “Our volunteers and workers will start working for the purpose across the State. It’s the time to ask for our rights,” Nanda said.