‘Candle-Light Vigil’ of Vidarbha Farm widows to mark 2014 as ‘Year of Betrayal’

‘Candle-Light Vigil’  of Vidarbha Farm widows to mark 2014 as ‘Year of Betrayal’

Pandharkawada -31^st December 2014

Hundreds of farm widows in ‘Vidarbha’ region of western part of Maharashtra in India to participated in day long protest and joined  ‘Candlelight Vigil’ followed of special prayer to pay tribute to more than 1100 vidarbha farmers who committed in the out going year 2012 by oberving  2014 as ‘Year of Betrayal’  as promises given by new Indian Govt. has completely betrayed it’s election   promise of giving sustainable minimum support price (MSP) with much hyped Modi’s formula of investment in cultivation plus 50% profit and restoration of fresh institutional credit to all debt trapped distressed farmers in agrarian crisis hit areas  and urged Indian  prime minister Narendra Modi to intervene to stop on going farm suicide spiral as many as 1109 farmers committed suicides this 2004  on average, 3,685 farmers in the state took their lives every year between 2004 to 2013 and year 2014 has been much more gloomy and disappointing for dying farmers when their ray of hope that new NDA Govt. failed to change economic policies implemented by earlier UPA Govt.,Kishor Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti (VJAS), Activist group who is documenting farmers suicides in Vidarbha region informed in press release today.

Vidarbha farm wdiows association leaders aprana malikar,rekha gurnule,vandana gawande,archana arut ,mangla betwar ,chandrakala meshram,pornima kopulwar,bebitai bais and farm activist mohan jadhav ,suresh bolenwar,ankit naitam ,prem chavan, moreshwar watile joined the protest .

“Year 2014 has been one of worst year as per crop failure, market recession and unseen natural calamities and agrarian distress is december vidarbha alone 62 fresh farmers suicides surfaced and disturbing reports of starvation in relief starved drought affected region coupled with  the continuous administration apathy towards the crisis ,has deepen crisis hence we have obsered   ‘Candlelight Vigil’ protest on the new eve of new year as mark of protest ‘2014-‘Year of Betrayal’  ,Tiwari said

VJAS once again urged PM Modiji of introducing the renowned farm scientist M S Swaminathan's formula for fixation of MSP which provides for cost plus 50 per cent remuneration to the farmers as the basis of fixation of MSP for agricultural crops should be looked into during the process of finalization of Union Budget for 2014-15 along with fresh institutional credit restoration to every debt trapped farmers as that is only way to make agriculture far more sustainable besides ensuring no farmer was compelled to either leave this occupation or commit suicide.

As most of distressed  Small and marginal farmers who committing suicide are debt trapped hence complete loan waiver and  Fresh interest free short term crop loans whereas other farmers should be given crop loans at 2 per cent, urging for one time debt relief package should be provided for all farmers, Tiwari added.