Three Left farmers bodies today announced to hold a rally at Subzi Mandi here on November 16, to press the state government to safeguard the interests of the small farmers who have encroached upto 10 bighas of government land.
The rally has been organized by Himachal Kisan Union, Himachal Seb Utpadak Sangh and Kisan Bagwan Mahasangh.
They also threatened to launch a civil disobedience movement, if the state government fails to come out with a tangible solution for regularization of small encroachments.
Kuldeep Tanwar, president Himachal Kisan Union, said that in spite of categorical assurance from Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to stop eviction drive and regularise encroachments by small and marginal farmers up to 10 bighas, nothing has been done so far.
The committee constituted to identify the farmers, who have encroached ten or less Bighas of land, have failed to show any progress, he added.
Tanwar further said that the government was totally indifferent and insensitive to the problems of the farmers.
The farmers are paying heavy price due the callous approach of the government. People were sandwiched between the feuds of two families-the Chief minister and his predecessor, he alleged.
The farmers' issues were no longer getting adequate attention of the government as extraneous matters were keeping the chief minister engaged, Tanwar said.
He accused the government of offering 'quick fix' solutions to the farmers' problems.
The Himachal Kisan Union president said Dr Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry has chosen to start a gaushala for stray cows, instead of doing research as why the cattle (cow) were turning uneconomical after sometime.
The university's job is not deal with the issue on emotional, social or religious lines, but work out a long term solutions for the farmers, he pointed out.
President of Himachal Seb Utpadak Sangh, Rakesh Singha, said the Congress government was only targeting the small and marginal farmers in the eviction drive.
Neither the government had moved the High Court with solutions, as promised by the CM, nor the committee set up by them has submitted its report, Singha said.
Some amendments were required to be made in certain laws and also the Indian Forest Act, he added.
