59th year of Indian independence…and yet another budget. Cliché as it may sound, the Indian farmer still remains the most deprived section of a country, which chooses to don the mask of democracy; ironical for a nation whose constituency largely consists of farmers and an agriculture based economy.
And now this marginalized lot chooses to voice its disquiet by killing itself and wiping out its very existence. Factors like indebtedness, lack of post harvest infrastructure, inattention on the part of government authorities, lack of livelihood security are only some of the many causes provoking the Indian farmer to take his life. Since the year 1997, more than 25000 farmers have already taken their life towards what has unfortunately become their only salvation.
As everything else, this issue was again treated as an ‘uncalled for’ disaster and a prime minister’s relief fund was announced promising a fund of 3,753 crores to the affected areas. The funds are yet to reach and where they have, it is yet to be seen to what effect have they rescued the farmer from his vicious circle of misery.
One has to question the existence of the phenomenon of farmer suicides in the face of a country that is still happily basking in the so called success of the green revolution and five year plans that have ostensibly sought to improve the condition of the Indian agriculture and its cultivators.
With such a calamity going unnoticed and undisputed by the common masses, we as a nation are only heading towards a disastrous future.
YOUTH FOR JUSTICE has taken an initiative to integrate the urban youth with the causes of the Indian farmer and bridge this glaring gap, which feeds our ignorance and silence over this issue.
Towards building a mass movement for our farmer brothers, the youth and the farmers come together for a joint march on the 25th of February, 2007 at Jantar Mantar, 12: 30 pm to raise questions on the comfortable silence of the government and the common people and the supposed relief packages that are going to the suicide prone areas.
As an important participant in forwarding causes of such major and immediate concerns we invite you to take part in this cause and redeem the belief that if we all come together we can certainly make a difference.
