The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Agrarian crisis

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Saturday, Nov 17, 2007
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Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Agrarian crisis

This refers to the shocking revelations made in the series of articles on the agrarian crisis and farmers’ suicides (Nov. 12-15). It is shocking to learn that farmers have been taking their lives for several years while our governments, including our economist-turned-Prime Minister, have been boasting of high, inclusive growth.

This pathetic situation is the result of successive governments’ indifference to agriculture and the peasantry. Civil society, the intelligentsia and the media should bring pressure on the government to intervene immediately.

J. Jayashankar,

Mayiladuthurai

* * *

The farmer today is unable to cope with the high cost of seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. It is no surprise then that he sees suicide as a simple way out of the trap when his crop fails or he does not get the right price for his produce.

We are enamoured of the India that is lined with glitzy malls and shopping arcades but the real India is still in the villages as Mahatma Gandhi said.

H.N. Ramakrishna,

Bangalore

* * *

It is incredible that 1.5 lakh Indian farmers committed suicide between 1997 and 2005. What is disturbing is that these deaths were triggered by indebtedness, cut in subsidies, and failure of monsoon in a country whose mainstay is agriculture. Even natural calamities did not claim the lives of so many farmers during that period. Industrial development is necessary for our country, but not at the cost of agriculture. It is time the governments acted on a war-footing to stop this disastrous trend.

J. Eden Alexander,

Thanjavur

* * *

The numbers expose the glaring systemic apathy towards the farm sector. That the very people who toil hard in the fields are dying of hunger, poverty and huge debts is ironical. It is obvious that gullible peasants have been misled by huge disinformation campaigns into making wrong choices of crops. The whole problem has had a cascading effect with the farmers paying the price with their lives.

It is not enough for the Agriculture Ministry alone to act. There is need for a comprehensive policy that includes counselling for farmers on handling their financial and mental stress. Their immediate help desk should be the panchayat office comprising the village heads. Small farmers can adopt collective farming and a portion of the collective land can be used for food crops for their own consumption. It is a shame that in a country that calls itself a leader in communication technology, farmers are dying by the dozens for lack of information.

Nirmala Narayanan,

Bangalore

* * *

Irrespective of the government that comes to power, farmers find themselves pushed to the margins. Our so-called progressive media are busy clicking pictures of celebrities that they forget to report the critical condition in the farm sector. Had the agrarian crisis been so severe in Bihar, I am sure the media would have published it and declared it as another symptom of a failed State. What are the Chief Ministers of suicide SEZ States doing?

Nafis Khan,

New Delhi

* * *

While the reforms initiated by Manmohan Singh under the Narasimha Rao regime and accelerated under his stewardship are a bane to millions of people, they are also a boon to some.

While many people who eked out their living through agriculture, vegetable and fruit vending, skilled work, etc., have lost their livelihood, multinationals have made enormous profits.

K. Brunda,

Salem

* * *

The news that a farmer committed suicide every 32 minutes between 1997 and 2005 is a shame on all Indians. It reinforces that the weak always disappear from a race. The farmers lack confidence because no one comes to their rescue. Farm suicides have now become so common that they hardly make news. Dirty and selfish politics has swallowed our farmers.

D. Kishan Prasad Rao,

Secunderabad

* * *

It has been reported that Lakshmi N. Mittal continues to be the richest Indian for the fourth year in a row with a wealth of $51billion. Will someone please find out who is the poorest among Indians? It will certainly be newsworthy.

V.S. Venkatavaradan,

Salem

* * *

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