Farmers beg on streets of Deulgaon Raja to protest Rs 5,000 drought aid, send proceeds to government

Office-bearers of the Krantikari Kisan Sanghatana staged an unusual "begging" protest in Deulgaon Raja in Buldhana district on Monday. They said they did not want alms and wanted the price of their sweat. Farmer leader Ravikant Tupkar took part himself, and the protest drew much attention.

The organisation said severe drought conditions prevail across the state. Instead of giving farmers financial and moral support, it said, the government has played a cruel joke on them. According to the organisation, the government has given Rs 5,000 as alms. Farmers, farm labourers and ordinary people are suffering from drought and inflation, and the "mai-baap" government, instead of giving ample help, has mocked them by giving Rs 5,000. The organisation's office-bearers are angry over this, and the effect was seen in Deulgaon Raja town.

Tupkar said the government had no money to give farmers, so the organisation's workers begged in the town and collected funds. The money collected was submitted to the government through the tehsildar under Tupkar's leadership. A memorandum of demands was also handed over.

Tupkar asked angrily whether, in the middle of a severe drought, the government had crores of rupees for the Kumbh Mela, money to buy vehicles worth crores, and money for ministers' drought tours, but no money to give farmers.

He demanded that the salaries of ministers, MLAs, MPs, secretaries and the district collector be withheld for three months, that the Kumbh Mela be cancelled, that spending on ministers' tours be stopped, and that the farmer who feeds the nation be helped. He also said fodder should be arranged now rather than planning fodder camps in December. In Tupkar's words, fodder should be given "at the stake, not in the camp". He appealed for compensation of Rs 1 lakh per hectare, without any limit on hectares.

The organisation demanded Rs 1 lakh per hectare without any condition or limit, and gave a grave warning that if this was not done, the government should be ready to face the farmers' anger.

Madhukar Shingne, Zulfegar Sheth, Sahadev Lad, Pradip Hiwale, Balaji Sose, Vasantrao Patil, Purushottam Shingne, Devidas Shingne, Jilani Bhai, Raju Nagre, Gajanan Jaybhaye, Kisan Nagre, Pintu Doke, Sandip Shinde, Ganpat Shelke, Rajendra Shingne and other farmers were present at the event.

Tupkar warned that farmers from every village would be brought together to show this government the strength of Baliraja. According to him, preparations have begun and an aggressive agitation will soon be built across the state.