Thousands of farmers gathered at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on Monday. Banners and flags of different organisations were waved, but what brought them together was a common demand — a one-time complete waiver of farmer loans and fair prices for their produce.
Under a common umbrella of All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) around 184 farmer groups from across states such as Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Telangana participated in the protest walk.
Yogendra Yadav, the national president of Swaraj India political party and a member of the Swaraj Abhiyan, spearheaded the march from the Ramlila Maidan till Parliament Street for the ‘Kisan Mukti Sansad’.
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"Every year the farmers of our country face a dual crisis, one is that they do not get a good produce, and when they do, they do not get fair prices for it. We are here for reminding the Narendra Modi government of their pre-poll promises made to the farmers," said Mr. Yadav.
He said that the Swaminathan Committee had recommended some measures that the central government needs to take to avert the agrarian crisis in India. However, after 12 years since the recommendations were tabled, nothing has been done.