Rajasthan goes aggro, to use PM Modi’s trip to pacify farmers

A few days back, the government was dealing with farmers’ agitation with an iron hand. Farmer leaders were arrested and they were pushed back to brink on their attempt to besiege the Assembly. But a scheduled visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Jhunjhunu - the hot bed of farmers’ agitation - changed it all for them. The state government, which looked in no mood to listen to farmers’ demands, now is going all out to pacify the farmers ahead of PM’s visit to Jhunjhunu on March 8.

Chief minister Vasundhara Raje has directed the ministerial sub committee led by the home minister Gulab Chand Kataria to discuss with farmers’ organisations on 5-6 March and address their problems after heeding to their suggestions to break the deadlock between farmers and government. The sub committee has invited farmers bodies at  Assembly and submit their proposals. The sub committee has water resources minister Dr. Ram Pratap, agriculture minister Prabhu Lal Saini, 

Power minister Pushpendra Singh and cooperative minister Ajay Singh Kilak as members.

Raje’s directives are significant keeping in view the warning sent out by the All India Kisan Sabha, which has threatened that it will not allow any minister to enter the villages until the loan waiver issue was resolved. The state government wants to put up an ‘elegant’ face before the Prime Minister after the recent drubbing in the bypolls.   

“The farmers will protest against any official or private visit of Ministers to the villages and block their way,” AIKS State Committee president Pema Ram said.

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Jhunjhunu for the launch of National Nutrition Mission. Jhunjhunu and the neighbouring Sikar have been the hot bed of farmers agitation.

The state government fears backlash of farmers during PM’s visit. And to avert this situation, ministerial sub committee has invited farmers body for the dialogue. A few days back only, the state government had ordered arrest of farmers leaders Amra Ram, Hetram Beniwal, Seopat Meghwal, who were attempting to besiege the assembly pushing their demand for blanket loan waiver and other demands including better price realisation of produce, government procurements, resolution of stray cattle issue, and old-age pensions.  The government, however, had announced a loan waiver of Rs 50,000 for marginal farmers who have taken loans from cooperative banks.

“The state government had not done anything on our other demands. Even by waiving off loans for marginal farmers, it has discriminated between farmers,” said Ram Lal Jat, a farmer leader.