"The BJP has decided to launch a nationwide agitation by staging demonstrations and dharnas between August 3 to 8 at all district headquarters against the insensitive and complacent attitude of the UPA Government towards drought relief and the continuation of an anti-farmer fertilizer policy," BJP's former President Rajnath Singh said, adding a farmers' dharna will be held at Jantar Mantar on August 20.
He said the demonstrations will be followed by a protest by farmers from across the country at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on August 20.
Singh said the decision to stage such demonstrations was taken at the party's core committee meeting held yesterday and attended by BJP President Nitin Gadkari and other top leaders.
The former BJP president said the country was facing acute drought-like conditions with overall Monsoon deficiency of 23 per cent, yet the central government had not put in place any action-plan to tackle the situation.
He said sowing of foodgrains had reduced due to poor monsoon and this will result in lower farm produce leading to further rise in prices.
Charging the Centre with ignoring the Meteorological department's warning on drought, Singh said, "the Congress-led UPA is busy resolving its internal fueds and is not bothered about the solving the problems of farmers."
The BJP has demanded that the Centre steps in to provide subsidised seeds and free power to farmers, restructure their farm loans and waive off interest on them, besides roll-back of hike in fertilizer prices and compensate financial losses of states due to drought.
