Agriculture Minister P Prasad (Left), Malayalam actor Jayasurya (Right)
Kochi: Malayalam actor Jayasurya while addressing the gathering, emphasised that he was speaking not as a celebrity but as an ordinary citizen. Jayasurya vividly narrated the struggles of his actor friend Krishna Prasad, who also toils as a farmer. Despite supplying his paddy crops to Supplyco, Prasad is yet to receive payment after six months.
The actor revealed that, on Thiruvonam day, the festival of prosperity, farmers are resorting to hunger strikes to draw attention to their plight. Jayasurya asserted that he was voicing their concerns. His comments have elicited a range of reactions, with some praising his advocacy and others criticizing him for delving into political matters. The left government has refuted Jayasurya’s claims, insisting that farmers have already been compensated for their crops. However, farmers have contested this assertion, maintaining that they are still awaiting their dues.
In Kerala, where agriculture is a lifeline for many, the issue of farmers’ rights is profoundly sensitive. Despite mounting pressure on the Left government to address the situation adequately, it has yet to offer a satisfactory resolution. Jayasurya’s statements are likely to intensify the government’s obligation to address the farmers’ demands. In a statement, Jayasurya expressed disappointment with the government’s response and declared his commitment to amplify the farmers’ voices. He asserted that he was unafraid of government intimidation tactics. The controversy is expected to persist as the government and farmers’ organizations seek to find common ground.
Jayasurya critiqued Minister Prasad’s assertion that the younger generation is disinterested in agricultural work because they don’t want to get their clothes dirty. He questioned the minister, asking how he expected young people to embrace farming when they witnessed their parents going on hunger strikes on Thiruvonam Day. Jayasurya pointed out that young individuals are hesitant to engage in paddy farming because they don’t see their parents proudly identifying as farmers. Furthermore, Jayasurya contested the minister’s claim that Keralites consume fewer vegetables, explaining that people are reluctant due to concerns about pesticide contamination. He emphasized that his intent was not to criticize the government or its ministers but to seize an opportunity to air farmers’ grievances. Even after a few days, he stood by his statements, refusing to backtrack.
Krishna Prasad, a farmer, informed the media that farmers receive payments as loans through banks, six months after the harvest. To secure this “loan,” they must pledge to repay it if the government fails to reimburse the paddy price to the banks the following year. Many illiterate farmers are unaware of this arrangement, leading to financial constraints that prevent them from planting for the second season. Despite the harvest concluding in February-March, they were promised payment within two weeks of procurement. Prasad expressed bewilderment at the minister’s explanation that payment delays were due to the four-day Onam holidays. He also noted that the minister himself is a farmer and highlighted that approximately 45,000 farmers are awaiting their payments.
Agriculture Minister Prasad acknowledged Jayasurya’s acting skills but suggested that he should avoid expressing his opinions in public. Nevertheless, Jayasurya remained resolute in his position and emphasized his lack of affiliation with any political party.
Observers have attributed the root of the issue to government mismanagement and reject the minister’s tendency to shift blame to the union government. They argue that the state government’s spending lacks a coherent rationale and cite the example of a government agreement with a private company to lease a helicopter for the Chief Minister at a monthly rate of Rs 80 lakhs, an expenditure they find difficult to justify.
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