Farmers' awareness march begins in Gujarat

Farmers leaders under the banner of Sanyukt Khedut Sangarsh Smote-Gujarat today started 'Khedut Chetna Yatra' (farmers' awareness march) from Kalawad town of Jamnagar district to highlight anti-farmers polices followed by state and Centre, a statement said.
"We have started our Khedut Chetna Yatra to make the farmers aware of oppressive steps being taken by the state as well as the Central government, which are detrimental to their interests," said Sagar Rabari, secretary of Gujarat Khedut Samaj.
The yatra began with a meeting in Sardar Chowk in Kalavad town of Jamnagar district, he said.
Rabari in the meeting gave outlines of two laws of Gujarat government which he says are against the interest of farmers.

"The Special Investment Region (SIR) Act 2009 and the Gujarat Drainage and Irrigation Act, 2013 are the two acts which would spell doom for farmers of the state. Under these two acts state government can acquire land of farmers without any hesitation," he said.
Rabari also alleged during the rally that there was an unwritten policy of the Gujarat government of depriving the farmers of Narmada waters for irrigation thereby forcing the helpless farmers to part with their land.
Another farmer leader Dahyabhai Gajera of Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha criticised the Centre's amended land bill saying that the game plan of the Centre is to sacrifice the interests of farmers in order to attract international capital and called upon them to organise and unite in their struggle against this.

Chandubhai Shingala of Saurashtra Ladat Samiti drew the attention of farmers to low procurement prices of cotton and groundnut in the last season which led many farmers to commit suicide.