The Modi government recently played another cruel joke on the farmers by fixing the support price of paddy at 1550 per quintal, with a disappointingly marginal increase of only Rs. 80. A massive protest was called by CPI(ML) on 28 June against this declaration. AICCTU, AIKM and AIARLA also joined this call. During the protest it was demanded that the government declare Rs. 3000 per quintal as the support price for the paddy and a memorandum on the same was also submitted. Another key demand raised in the protest was regarding the water dispute pertaining to Mahanadi river. A memorandum was also submitted to the Chief Minister of Odisha demanding- loan to farmers of Odisha; a policy granting legal rights to share croppers and provision of bank loans to them. The four-member delegation team included Com. Mahendra Parida, Com. Ashok Pradhan, Com. Satyabadi Behera and Com. Tirupati Gamango. Central Committee member Com. Yudhistir Mahapatra, Com. Radhakant Sethi and Com. Behera criticized the BJP and BJD governments on their anti-farmers’ policies. They strongly condemned the violence on the farmers in Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh.
