FDI IN RETAIL WILL BE A NIGHTMARE FOR THE FARMERS
FDI IN RETAIL WILL BE A NIGHTMARE FOR THE FARMERS
Posted on November 3, 2012 by sagarmedia
0
NO MORE MARKETING OF FDI IN RETAIL IN THE NAME OF FARMERS WILL BE ALLOWED
“The FDI in Multi brand Retail will crush the Indian farmers as it
has happened in the countries where global retailers are holding their
business operations. To sustain farmers in farming, the USA Government
is trying hard and has been forced to provide One billion dollar subsidy
per day to its farmers. Many other European Countries are also
following the same path. In this tested backdrop how the global
retailers will prove to be beneficial to the Indian farmers is a
question which is yet to be answered by the Government”- said thirty
leading farmer leaders of the Country at a Press Conference held today
at New Delhi under the umbrella of Khudra FDI Virodhi Rashtriya Morcha
(KFVRM).” The marketing of FDI in Retail in the name of Farmers by the
Government will not be allowed by the farmers of the Country”-said the
farmer leaders with firm voice.
Prominent leaders of the Indian farming community who attended the
Press Conference include Bhartiya Kisan Union, Bhartiya Kisan Sangh,
Kisan Mahapanchayat, Bhartiya Krishak Samaj, Rashtriya Kisan Majdoor
Sangathan, Kheti Virasat Mission, Bhartiya Janta Kisan Morcha .
Shri Naresh Sirohi, General Secretary of Bhartiya Kisan Morcha and
Convener of the Farmers Cell of the Khudra FDI Virodhi Rashtriya Morcha
while addressing the Press Conference said that on the pretext of its
claim that FDI in Retail will improve the conditions of Indian farmers
as they would be getting better prices for their produce, cold storages
will be developed, new technology will be available to farmers to
improve their farming, the Government is trying to sell FDI in Retail in
India. All these logics were given at the time of introducing Multi
Commodity Exchange in November, 2003 and it is a fact that the MCX has
ruined the farmers to the extent of committing suicide.
The Government is loudly claiming benefits of FDI to the farmers.
On the other hand it is mysteriously silent on the Report submitted by
Agriculture Commission Chairman Shri M.S. Swamynathan.
The leaders of the farming community while addressing the media
questioned the statement of the Prime Minister that “Money does not grow
on trees” then why in last three years a relief of Rs.13.5 lakh crores
was given to Corporate sector in taxes and other benefits and on the
other hand the government is aggressively advocating lifting of
subsidies in Diesel and fertilizers which remains always crucial for the
Indian farmers.
The leaders also said that we have hundreds of Agricultural
Universities and Agricultural Research Institutes all over the Country
which are extensively doing well which is often claimed by the
Government. Are they not able to provide innovative technology to Indian
farmers for which the global retailers are being invited to India? They
alleged that, to justify its decision of allowing FDI in Retail, the
Government has gone down to the extent that purely incorrect figures of
40% food wastage in India is being quoted by one and all in the
Government despite of the fact that this inflated figure has been
contradicted by a survey report of CIPHET, Ludhiana which reports that
the food wastage in India is from 0.8% to maximum 18%. The said report
has already been accepted by the Government in September, 2010. Even
after knowing the correct figures, the propagation of incorrect figures
of 40% by the Government organs established the fact that there is some
kind of “hidden agenda” which is prompting the Government to even
mislead the nation.
The statements of the Government on FDI in Retail speaks that it is
not the global retailers but the Government which is keener to allow
FDI in Retail at any cost. The leaders further said that logics advanced
by the Government so far to justify its decision have not been
supported by any authenticated study or research. On the contrary we
have number of living examples, surveys,research,reports and global
experience which are sufficient to understand that under any
circumstances, the FDI in Retail is not going to benefit the farmers
rather it will prove to be a nightmare to the Indian farmers. The
Government has utterly failed in protecting the interests of the
farmers. It has miserably failed to utilize the Nation’s own resources
which could have been used for the betterment of farming in India. It
has also failed in evolving a logical and foolproof agricultural policy.
The Government administration has proven to be a case of “dismal
performance” even in proper implementation of the handicapped policy of
the Government. Now, it has become known to one and all that the
Government is of the Corporates, for the Corporates and by the
Corporates. Therefore, the format of corporate farming which is an
inherent policy of the global retailers will crush and kill the Indian
farming sector and the farmers will be cheated and exploited by the
global retailers and in the end the farmers will be deprived of their
land.
The leaders of the Indian farming community in a united and
unanimous voice strongly condemned the decision of the Government to
allow FDI in Retail. While demanding immediate withdrawal of the
notification the leaders of farmers organizations have decided to join
hands together to launch an aggressive agitation all over the Country
which will includes protest rallies, Dharna and protest march on mass
scale all over the Country.
Shri Sirohi told that One hundred prominent farmer organisations
from all over India extended their full support to KFVRM’s stand on
this issue. List of these organisations inclosed herewith.
Naresh Sirohi
Convenor, Farmers Cell
Khudra FDI Virodhi Rashtriya Morcha
Cell No.9899600011
Comments
Post a Comment