Artistes express solidarity with farmers' march

Several prominent writers, intellectuals and artists, including Nayantara Sahgal, K. Satchidanandan, Ganesh Devy and Damodar Mauzo, have expressed solidarity with farmers who will lead a Kisan Mukti March here on November 29-30.

"I am one with the farmers in all their demands. The Indian state has been ungrateful to the point of cruelty to the farmers who feed the people of our country. This cannot go on. The Indian peasant's plight defines the nation's condition and the state needs to do everything to solve their problems.

"Their genuine grievances ought to be addressed by a special session of the country's parliament and concrete solutions should be sought," said Satchidanandan, a noted Indian poet and critic, who writes in Malayalam and English.

The group has come together under the "Artists for Farmers" banner and will join the farmers entering Delhi from four different directions and will congregate at Ramlila Maidan on the night of November 29 and will march to the Parliament for a public meeting on the morning of November 30.

"The farmers from across India are demanding a special 21 day session of the Parliament on the agrarian crisis, and other related issues such as the implementation of the recommendations made in the Report of the National Commission for Farmers, which has been with the Parliament for over 12 years without consideration," the group said in a statement.

Several events have been organised by artistes, including a special cultural evening -- "Ek Shaam Kisano Ke Naam" -- at the Ramlila Maidan on November 30.

--IANS

ss/vm