Farmers begin Kanniyakumari-Kashmir march in support of their demands

A farmers’ march from Kanniyakumari to Kashmir commenced here on Saturday, raising various demands, including Minimum Support Price (MSP) legislation for agricultural produce.

The march has been organised under the leadership of Jagjit Singh Dallewal, national coordinator of United Framers’ Front (non-political). P.R. Pandian, president, Tamil Nadu All Farmers’ Associations Coordination Committee, A. Vins Anto of Kodhayar Irrigation Committee, and other members of the delegations participated in the march.

Mr. Pandian told presspersons that the Centre had refused to waive farm loans across the country. Suicides by farmers continued unabated and the government had failed to provide remunerative price for agricultural produce.

He said United Farmers’ Front had the march from Kanniyakumari to Kashmir to urge the Centre to implement MSP nationwide, implementation of recommendations made by M.S. Swaminathan Committee, scrapping the Electricity Regulatory Commission Act aimed at cancelling free electricity for farmers, and completely waiving farm loans.

The march led by Mr. Dallewal would culminate at Ram Leela Maidan in New Delhi on March 19, where lakhs of farmers from across India would participate.

Representatives from all States will travel up to Kashmir. He said permission had been sought to meet Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and if granted the delegation will meet him on February 9.