Karat urges govt to initiate dialogue with agitating farmers

Jaipur, Feb 22 (UNI) Even as thousands of farmers were detained by the Rajasthan police in a major crack down on a Left parties sponsored farmers rally here today, CPM general secretary Prakash Karat called for dialogue with the farmers to address their issues.

The left parties along with their trade unions and civil society organisations had given a call for farmers rally under the banner of 'Loktantrik Adhikar Morcha' on the culmination of a 'Kisan Rath Yatra'. The 'yatra', which the government had prohibited, was flagged off from Raola in Srigangnagar district a fortnight ago.

Talking to newpersons Mr Karat strongly deplored the ''highandedness'' of the state government and asked it to adopt the path of dialogue instead of suppression to address the problems of the farmers.

He said the state government is ''insensitive'' to the farmers' issues.

''If the government thinks the agitation could be suppressed by force it is detached from the ground reality,'' the CPM leader said.

The farmers and their leaders were detained on their way to jaipur and those who had reached Jaipur were not allowed to enter the city, he said.

Mr Karat said two people were killed in police firing on the agitating farmers in Raola and Gharsana in Sriganganagar district last year and hundreds were still languishing in jails.

''The government instead of initiating talks with the farmers to resolve the issues are adopting a confrontationist approach with them. This is deplorable,'' he said.

Kisan Sabha national general secretary and CPI leader Autal Angan said Rajasthan is the first state in the country having the dubious distinction of seeking the services of the army to quell a farmers agitation. This shows the ''sensitivity'' of the BJP government in the state towards the farmers.

UNI