'Centre, state adopt anti-farmers' policy'

Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha State General Secretary U Basvaraj has said that the BJP-led government in the centre and Congress-led state government have failed to work in the interest of poor labourers and farmers. 

Speaking at a day-long indefinite strike organised by Udupi district Karnataka Prantha Krishi Koolikarara Sangha here before Tahsildar office, he accused the governments of following anti-farmers and anti-labourers policy to please the multi-nationals. 

The policy adopted by the governments will end up in facilitating the multi-national companies to invest in the country. 

He said the notion of development envisioned by the governments will make rich richer and poor poorer. He said the real development lies in the development of poor farmers and labourers. 

“People still earn Rs 20 per day in the coutry. There is a need for Rs 10,000 per month to lead a decent living with two square meals a day.  The minimum earning of any Indian should be around Rs 350 per day.” 

He said “around 60 per cent of women in the country are anaemic and 80 per cent of the children below five years are suffering from malnutrition. It is an irony that even after 67 years of independence, the country has failed to provide security to its citizens. There are 65 lakh poor farmers and 60 lakh poor laborers who struggle for food.” 

He said that poor labourers have been demanding sites for the last three years. However, the authorities have failed to distribute sites for the poor. 

The government should direct the concerned officials to prepare the list of the homeless at gram panchayat level. The illegal land encroachment by the poor should be legalised.  The government should offer 12 cents of land each to all homeless.