April 27, 2015
Derek O’Brien speaks on the agrarian crisis and farmer suicides | Full Transcript
Full Transcript
Sir, before I make some suggestions and offer some solutions to handle this situation and also share some successful programmes which have been run in another State, I would like to correct how this House was misled by the new Secretary General of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
Mr Yechury was talking about 24 farmer suicides in Bengal. From where they got these numbers I do not know. I would like share some statistics of farmer suicides in Bengal; the Prime Minister had in fact said this is not a new issue. As per the National Crime Records Bureau, between 1990-2005, the number of farmer suicides in West Bengal was 19331, an average of 1200 deaths per year.
The CPI(M) is giving lectures on farmers and shedding crocodile tears? Where was the CPI(M) when Tapasi Malik was raped and murdered in Singur? Where was the CPI(M) when lands were being taken away from farmers and Buddhadeb Bhattacharya’s guns were shooting them down in Nandigram?
I am proud to say and Indian history will record that only one person there. Nobody here was talking about farmers and land acquisition in 2006.
In 2006, my Party Supremo and the current Chief Minister of West Bengal went on 26-day hunger strike for the sake of farmers, by putting her life in danger. In 2013, the UPA-II, led by the Congress, brought a Land Bill, which was supported by the BJP. I had asked for a division. The 12-odd MPs of Trinamool Congress had on record voted against it. We thought that was a bad Bill. We think the Bill by this government is a draconian Bill.
I have some suggestions to offer. Now you may say Derek has not done any farming in his life. Yes it is true, I may not have done any farming but I have been with Trinamool Congress for 12 years. I have sat outside Singur. I understand the issue.
The first thing that has worked in Bengal to prevent farmer suicides, something that has worked in a big way is the Kisan Credit Cards. In the last two and a half years, 27 lakh Kisan Credit Cards have been issued and they have worked.
Please also look at jute farmers. There are nearly 40 lakh jute farmers in India and they need to be protected. Earlier you corrected your position on jute and we thank you for that. The jute farmers must be protected, specially in packaging.
Thirdly, as the speaker before me pointed out, the MSP of rice must be increased.
Sir, my fourth point relates to how to handle a crisis – and there will be many crises. Let me give you give a quick example of how a crisis was handled. In Bengal there was a crisis of potatoes. The situation was handled by procuring 50000 metric tonnes of potatoes from the farmers and using them for the mid-day meal and ICDS scheme. This is suggestion that you can offer to other States. You can also offer transport subsidy as well as the port subsidy.
Sir, I would like to offer a legislative suggestion to the States. The West Bengal Agricultural Marketing Produce Regulation actually helped us 34 multi-purpose cold storages in the State.
Sir, let us go on to a subject I am more familiar with. This government talks a lot about digital India. My suggestion to them is to use science, technology and digital tools to improve agricultural output, fertility and crop productivity.
Sir, lastly I would like to mention about the unfortunate farmer suicide in Delhi. Sir, it is my appeal not to politicise this issue. Let us rise above politics in this case, Sir.
On the land bill, Sir, no matter who takes credit, we will be at the forefront here. That land bill is going nowhere, nowhere, nowhere.
Thank you, Sir.
