On behalf of the farmers, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar raised their concerns and asked the government questions today, focussing the majority of his questions on the Union Agriculture Minister. He questioned how the promises given to farmers could not be kept in light of the country’s growing prominence in the international arena. “Policy-making is not on right track,” he stated.
“Agriculture Minister, every moment is important for you. I request you to please tell me, what was promised to the farmer? Why was the promise not fulfilled? What should we do to fulfil the promise? There was a movement last year, there is a movement this year too. The wheel of time is turning, we are not doing anything,” he said, speaking at a ceremony to mark the centenary of ICAR-CIRCOT (Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology) .
“For the first time I have seen India changing. For the first time I am realising that developed India is not our dream but our goal. India was never at such heights in the world… When this is happening, why is my farmer worried and suffering? The farmer is the only one who is helpless,” he added.
Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who led the Madhya Pradesh government for around 15 years before joining the Union cabinet following the April–May Lok Sabha election, has not responded. It is well known that the vice president supports farmers. His remarks coincide with an increase of demonstrations by farmers.
In order to voice their complaints, farmers marched to Delhi yesterday, causing traffic jams in some areas of Noida and Delhi.
Among their many requests is the assurance of benefits and compensation under recently enacted legislation. Since February, they have set a camp at the Punjab-Haryana border crossings of Shambhu and Khanauri.
