Pics: Prajwal Ukkuda
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Feb 9: In the state level conference of farmers held in the Nehru Maidan here on Saturday February 7, the farmers of the state succeeded in asserting their demands, warning that they would not vote for the parties which neglect their rightful demands.

Various demands of the farmers were put forth at the huge conference of farmers organized by Agricultural Land Conservation Committee and Coastal Karnataka Forum for Formation of Peoples Opinion  under the aegis of Guruvayankere Nagarika Seva Trust, Farmers Forum, Karnataka Karavali Jagruti Vedike, DK Environmentalists Union and Prajadhikara Vedike. B M Kumaraswamy, placing 17 demands of farmers, wanted the government to ensure that even small farmers having small land holdings, earn not less than Rs 10,000 per month by formulating suitable income generating schemes for them.

In his key note address, Kishan Bir Choudhury of Krishik Samaj said that the incidence of farmers' suicide is increasing after liberalization and globalization were embraced. This is an embarrassing situation for our leaders and officials, he said. He also criticized the Seeds Policy of the union government which he claimed, is meant to protect the interests of multi-national companies. He criticized the officials for trying to popularize genetically modified wheat cultivation in the country in the name of the second agricultural revolution, while foreign countries including USA and European countries have banned the use of such seeds.

BJP leader Krishna J Palemar, ex-minister K Amarnat Shetty of the JD(S), state executive board member G N Nagaraj of the CPI(M), Ivan D'Souza representing the Congress, Girish Rai from the BSP and M P Nadagouda from Janatadal (U) clarified their respective stands vis-a-vis the demands put forth by farmers.

K Somanath Nayak of Nagarika Seva Trust explained the aim of the meeting.