Farmers urge withdrawal of decision to import wheat

New Delhi, Mar 21 (UNI) Farmers from six North Indian states, supported by former Prime Minister V P Singh and former Union Minister Ajit Singh, today marched to Parliament protesting against the import of wheat and urging the government not to compromise agriculture for others gains at the WTO negotiations.

In a huge demonstration at Jantar Mantar, thousands of farmers from Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan demanded that the government withdraw its decision to import five lakh tonnes of wheat which they said would pave the way for import of cheaper farm produce, thus hitting at the livelihood of lakhs of farmers in the country.

Condemning as irrational and unnecessary, the government decision for import of wheat when the same could have easily been procured in the country, the national president of the BKU Mahendra Singh Takait said the farmers would lay seige on of the ports to prevent the imported wheat from reaching the government godowns till the decision was reversed.

Carrying huge banners reading "stop import of wheat" and "remove agriculture from the WTO negotiations", the demonstrators lashed at the government for bringing down import duty on wheat from 50 per cent earlier to zero per cent to facilitate its large scale import.

They alleged that even after reducing the import duty, the import of wheat would cost to the country Rs 9500/ per tonne whereas the government procured the same from farmers at the rate of Rs 6500 per tonne.

Lending support to the cause of the farmers at the rally, Mr V P Singh said,''why is the government importing wheat when new harvest has already started hitting the markets.'' He came down on the UPA government for not consulting the farmers before taking any agriculture-related decision. In this regard he suggested that the government form an advisory committee at the state and Central levels having as its members representatives of the farmers' community.

''When I was the Prime Minister, we had formed such a committee which 'vetted any decision taken by the government with regard to the farmers,''he said.

He also opposed the present practise of the government acquiring land from the farmers at a cheaper rate and giving it to the industrialists at concessional rates.

''This amounts to farmers subsidising the industrialists -- why are the industrialists not asked to buy land at market rates,''he said.

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