Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (DV)
Mangalore, Apr 15: “BJP leaders are spreading rumors by saying ‘Congress has betrayed the farmer’ and clamming that they (Congress) are heading towards banning the areca crop. People should contemplate on the past history; how the Congress helped the farmers during 2012-2013; the contributions of Janardhan Poojary, Oscar Fernandes and Veerappa Moily had increased the import duty on areca from 35% to 110% which was imported from Malaysia, Bangladesh and Burma,” said Sachin Meega of the KPCC Kisan Cell.
He was addressing the press meet in the district Congress office here on Tuesday April 15.
He said, “The Congress leaders by imposing vigilance and a speaking to Anand Sharma prevented the illegal entry of areca that was being exported from Malaysia, Bangladesh and Burma through the sea route. The state government had also given Rs 12,000 compensation for the victims of the fruit riot disease, but the BJP government gave only Rs 1,000 to the farmers.”
“The expert committee under the chairmanship of P Rethinam Commission had submitted the report to Supreme Court of India while the NDA government was in power in 2001. The report also stated that ‘areca consists of a cacogenic agent; hence chewing areca will cause cancer.’ CAMPCO president Rangamurthy Rao, Ram Bhat and B K S Bhat were the members of the committee. From 2001-2011 in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Shimoga and Uttar Karnataka, about 898 farmers have committed suicide,” he concluded.
Block president Nagendra, Sadashiva of the Chickmagalur district Congress were present on the occasion.