Farmers Movement Archive

‘Pay attention to rain-hit M’wada farmers first’

Aurangabad: Ahead of the state-wide bandh called by Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on Monday to protest against the violence at Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, farmers’ groups from Marathwada have demanded relief measures for the rain-hit farmers in the region first. Stating that even the Panchanama process is yet to be over in the rain-battered areas, farmers’ groups have alleged that Marathwada has been neglected as compared to western Maharashtra, which had witnessed natural calamity in the recent past and is said to have received profuse help from the government. Jayaji Suryawanshi of ‘Annadata’, a farmers’ group, said scores of farmers in Marathwada were left in the lurch by the state government during the current pandemic. “The violence in Lakhimpur Kheri is condemnable, but we question the inaction and silence of the state government towards the plight of farmers. Weeks after the natural calamity struck them, farmers from Marathwada are still awaiting official help,” he said. Annadata has demanded blanket help to all affected farmers at the earliest to prepare for the upcoming rabi season. Rajan Kshirsagar of Kisan Sabha said the call for bandh against Lakhimpur Kheri does not necessarily highlight that it is a pro-farmer government. “While farmers from western Maharashtra get instant and profuse help when the tragedy strikes, Marathwada farmers are made to wait endlessly. We condemn such a biased attitude,” he said. State deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who held a review meeting on Saturday, said crops on over 34 lakh hectare area in Marathwada have been damaged due to heavy rains. While pegging total damage to around Rs 4,000 crore, he said the government would stand firmly behind affected farmers and others. In the Lakhimpur incident, eight people were killed during a farmers’ protest.

The Times of India

2021-10-11

Aurangabad