Farmers Protest in front of Sugar Cane Commissioner

SUGAR cane farmers from Kushinagar (UP) led by the All India Kisan Mahasabha protested in front of the Sugar Cane Commissioner at Lucknow on 16 September 2019 and submitted a memorandum.

The memorandum made the following demands: sugar cane parchas should be issued through physical ground verification instead of GPS-based verification; sugar cane payment arrears with interest should be made without delay; cooperative sugar cane Samitis should issue computerized parchas; small farmers and sharecropping farmers should be issued sugar cane parchas on a priority basis; all payments should be ensured at the conclusion of the perai session; middlemen should not be allowed from the sugar cane centre till the main gate; end short weighing of sugar cane.

Addressing farmers at the farmers’ institute, Kisan Mahasabha State General Secretary Ishwari Prasad Kushwaha said that the Modi-Yogi governments are corporatizing agriculture. Despite all tall claims by the government, billions of rupees payment is still due to farmers. Speaking in support of the Bijnore sugar cane farmers’ struggle, he said that the government should not mistake the farmers’ patience for weakness. The government is constantly cutting the agrarian budget and it is a complete lie to say that farmers’ income has doubled. He pointed out that a major cause for economic recession in the country is neglect of agriculture and reduction in purchasing power of farmers. The Modi-Yogi governments, instead of addressing crucial issues, are fomenting hatred and divisiveness among farmers. He demanded that the Uttar Pradesh government should make clear their policy for purchase of sharecropper farmers’ crops.

The protest was led by CPI(ML) State Committee member Radheshyam Maurya and Kushinagar District in-charge Param Hans Singh.