A group of the farmers' rights activists today announced that they will launch a four-day awareness campaign from tomorrow in various districts of Gujarat's Saurashtra region to protest against alleged "indifference of the government" to the farming community.
"A 'Khedut Chetna Yatra'(farmers' awareness march) will begin from Jamkandorna village in Rajkot district under the banner of 'Sanyukt Khedut Sangharsh Samiti-Gujarat' tomorrow," Sagar Rabari, the secretary of a group Khedut Samaj (farmers' commune) and one of the associates of the movement, said in a statement.
"The march is launched with the objective of unifying the prevailing anger amongst the farmers against the indifference of the government to their woes", he said.
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The main issues to be raised during the yatra include, Centre's new Land Acquisition Bill via an ordinance and to provide adequate prices for farm produce and products, Rabari said.
The march will also press for compensation to the farmers who's crops were damage suffered due to unseasonal rain-fall in Gujarat and to kin of those who committed suicide, he added.
The farmers will also demand to repeal "anti-farmer" acts like the Special Investment Region (SIR) Act, 2009 and Irrigation and Drainage Act, 2013 and Narmada canal issue, said Rabari.
The yatra will press farmers' demands for electricity connections, implementation of Swaminathan committee report on farm productions.
The yatra will pass through Rajkot, Junagadh and Amreli districts and it will conclude at Mithi Virdi in Bhavnagar district on May 21 where a farmers meet will be held, Rabari said.
