Bengaluru: Expressing anger and frustration at not getting an opportunity in the Lok Sabha to discuss the spiralling of farmer suicides, former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda has decided to launch a hunger protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Monday.
Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, Mr Gowda said that the protest would continue till he got an opportunity to raise the issue. “I have not sought the support of anyone, including leaders of the Janata Parivar. Those who have concern for farmers will join me,” he said.
This step taken by the former Prime Minister came after Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi stated that Parliamentary proceedings would be stalled till Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj quit. This statement apparently forced him to protest seeking an opportunity to talk. “I cannot keep quiet even after learning about the suicide of 13 farmers in Karnataka on Friday”, he said.
Speaking on the reaction of the PM on his decision to protest, Mr Gowda, taking a dig at the National Democratic alliance said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was busy announcing programmes such as Swacch Bhararth, Digital India and Smart Cities. But there was not a single programme to protect the interest of farmers.
“Mr. Modi did not bother to react even when farmers in his own State of Gujarat were committing suicide. When I broached the famers’ issue during a recent meeting with Mr. Modi, he did not respond,” Mr. Gowda said.
Speaking further on the recent comment made by the Union Minister for Agriculture Radha Mohan Singh that farmer suicides are taking place due to love affairs, Mr Gowda termed the statement unfortunate and said, “How could a Minister in Mr. Modi’s Cabinet say that farmers were committing suicide because of love affairs and impotency?
He then went on to demand a package for the farmers while he warned that a Vidarbha-like situation could grip the country unless urgent measures were taken.
JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and party legislators will also participate in the dharna in New Delhi. He has urged the State government to waive the crop loans borrowed by farmers.
