Dingaleshwar Swamiji, the Shirahatti Fakkireshwar Math leader, has urged the Karnataka government to suspend the guarantee schemes for one year and put the money to use for farmers in distress.
The seer said farmers were under severe economic stress in the current situation and required immediate help from the government. He also called on religious leaders from different communities for their support for sugarcane growers who want a fair and reasonable price for their production.
Dingaleshwar Swamiji said farmers faced a crisis in their lives that was urgent rather than lengthy conversations on how to address it, and farmers' problems are in need of urgent intervention. He said that stopping the cancellation of the state's guarantee schemes at this time would allow the government to divert a great deal of money to farmers who are suffering crop-related losses and financial uncertainty, pay attention to the farmers, and not delay the process of dealing with crop failures.
According to the seer, the first concern was to make sure farmers receive enough help to get their expenses taken care of and support for agriculture and to make sure their agricultural operations are supported. He suggested that the government act now, or not go into this problem, to see how government resources can be used to feed farmers, so that the state government can take action immediately in the face of an agricultural emergency.
The seer also spoke of support for the ongoing movement of sugarcane growers to increase the price paid for their crop. Sugarcane cultivation is a very costly affair: labour, fertilisers, irrigation and transportation. Farmers are consistently concerned that the income they get from production is not enough for the cost of making sugar, and they want a fair and reasonable return. Dingaleshwar Swamiji called on religious leaders and community leaders to join the farmers' fight and support the demand for a fair and reasonable price.
He also gave sharp criticism of Union Minister of Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi for not fulfilling the farmers' demand for a solution. The farmer representatives were called to Delhi for a meeting, according to him, but the farmers were humiliated in front of the media, and their hopes were rejected by the Union Minister. The seer's allegations were made during his meeting with reporters, and the response by the Union Minister was not mentioned in the information provided.
Dingaleshwar Swamiji also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not intervening on farmers’ problems and not paying enough attention to their issues. He also underlined the political aspect of the agrarian struggle in which farmers have been demanding better crop prices and government intervention at the forefront. Farmers in search of higher returns on their produce are also feeling the pressure of higher cultivation costs and uncertain market conditions that are undermining their ability to pay off their debts. The seer’s comments add to the calls for the state and central government to do much more to tackle the problems.
The seer also questioned the idea of appointing an expert committee to examine the needs of sugarcane growers. He questioned the necessity of appointing yet another committee when recommendations of the M.S. Swaminathan Commission on farmers' welfare had not been fully implemented.
The recommendations of the Commission have long been the basis for agricultural reform discussions on minimum support prices, farm incomes and economic security of cultivators. Dingaleshwar Swamiji's view is that farmers require concrete action and tangible results rather than more consultations to make decisions. Such concerns are common among agricultural groups that policy discussions must translate into real relief for farmers, he added.
Dingaleshwar Swamiji has also pledged not to consume sugar until justice is delivered to sugarcane farmers. The pledge is meant to bring attention to the growers' demands and to show his personal commitment to their cause. The seer is not the first one to take a public vow in relation to his criticism of political leaders. When he was about to run in Pralhad Joshi's election, in his opinion of being anti-farmer and anti-people, he said he would not wear garlands.
The latest developments have fueled the call for a solution to the problems faced by Karnataka’s farming community. Drought conditions can affect crop yields, increase the need for irrigation, and add to the financial burden on cultivators’ shoulders. For sugarcane farmers, the price of sugarcane is a big deal because of the cost of growing and transporting the crop.
Dingaleshwar Swamiji’s challenge to scrap guarantee schemes for a year has opened up a debate on what should be the priority of government spending during a crisis in agriculture. What would be the impact on agricultural policy, and how will government spending be put at the centre of the discussion on agriculture in a state of this crisis?
As the agitation continues, farmers will be looking for concrete decisions on pricing and financial assistance. The next few days will determine whether farmer representatives and the government can come to terms on a solution. So far, Dingaleshwar Swamiji has said he wants the government to pay immediate attention to farmers’ problems and has asked religious leaders and political authorities to support cultivators who are seeking a fair return for their hard work.
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