Vidarbha Farm widows to observe New Year Eve ‘2014-‘Year of Betrayal’ –‘Candle-Light Vigil’ on Farmers Suicides in India

Vidarbha Farm widows to observe New Year Eve ‘2014-‘Year of Betrayal’ –‘Candle-Light Vigil’ on Farmers Suicides in India

Delhi (Vidarbha) -29 December 2014

Hundreds of farm widows in ‘Vidarbha’ region of western part of Maharashtra in India will organize ‘Candlelight Vigil’ protest on the new eve of new year as mark of protest ‘2014-‘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  as economic roadmap of new NDA Govt. has been completely deviated from fulfillment of these basic promises hence this protest is to remind Indian prime minister Narendra Modi that he should look at pathetic situation of dying distressed drought hit farmers of Maharashtra where 3,146 farmers committed in Maharashtra in 2013, the latest data of the National Crime Records Bureau show. That brings the total number of farmers taking their own lives in the state to 60,750 since 1995. Picture in the Maharashtra state got a lot worse after 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.

“Year 2014 has been one of worst year as per crop failure, market recession and unseen natural calamities and agrarian distress is at its peak as in last 72 hours in vidarbha alone 15 fresh farmers suicides surfaced and reports starvation of in relief starved drought affected region has been fuel by the continuous administration apathy towards the crisis hence we are observing   ‘Candlelight Vigil’ protest on the new eve of new year as mark of protest ‘2014-‘Year of Betrayal’  ,Tiwari said

‘We are organizing ‘Candlelight Vigil’ protest to mark ‘2014-‘Year of Betrayal’ at villages Delhi, Bothbodan and Dehegoan in Yavatmal where more than 15 debt rapped distressed farmers committed suicide in last decade .in the morning farm widows will join PM Modi’s clean India movement by cleaning village road and in the evening   the will arrange ‘Candlelight Vigil’ protest and will arrange the prayer for cleaning the ‘Mindset’ Indian lawmakers who are following global free trade economy and highly risky and disputed agrarian crop pattern and faulty not suitable mismatched technology as present agrarian crisis which is result of policy shift adopted by the Indian Govt. since 1997 ,the reforms under GATT and allowing free trade and lifting of quantitative restrictions of import and export on agriculture commodities  has made life of innocent farmers venerable and resulted in mass genocide ’ Tiwari added.

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 intuitional 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.