NIZAMABAD: The Swadesi Jagaran Manch has called upon farmers to wage a united fight setting aside their political affiliations for achieving minimum support price to their farm produce in the market.

The Manch observed that economic policies of all political parties were more or less similar with minor variations. Therefore, the farming community should not trust politicians and the promises they make as they blissfully ignore them after elections.

Addressing the gathering of turmeric farmers, here on Tuesday, SJM All-India Sanchalana Samiti member K.N. Govindacharya said in West Bengal, Trinamool Congress was opposing the setting up

of Tata car plant. In fact, the TC was an alliance partner of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance Government when the proposal for Special Economic Zones was accepted.

While a CPI (M)-led Government was welcoming multinational companies and SEZs in Bengal, it was opposing the same in Rajasthan and elsewhere in the country, he pointed out. Demanding the Government change SEZs into Special Empowerment Zones to empower farmers by providing all facilities, he said with the present form of SEZs, no benefit would come to the farming community. He also suggested that if the SEZs sold away lands allotted to them, some amount of share must be given to farmers who had incurred loss of land for setting up these zones.

Dire straits

Mr. Govindacharya said the turmeric farmers were in dire straits following absence of remunerative price. Therefore, they must be provided Rs.4,000 per quintal of produce in lieu of the ever-increasing input costs.

SJM national convenor P. Muralidhar Rao accused the Government of showing disinterest in solving farmers' problems. The turmeric farmers, earlier took out a rally and submitted a memorandum to the Collector.

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