MEERUT: “The villages have to be empowered to such an extent that the discussions taking place at the village chaupal reach those who make policies for the country.” With the objective of fulfilling this resolve, the two-day Akhil Bharatiya Prabandh Samiti Baithak of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh concluded at the Madhav Kunj complex auditorium in Meerut.
Bharatiya Kisan Sangh Akhil Bharatiya Mahamantri Mohini Mohan Mishra informed about the baithak that the coming year will be the membership year of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh. In this regard, discussions were held on building the organisation by enrolling members in as many villages across the country as possible.
Regarding the political statements being made on ethanol, he said that the farmers across the country are of the view that ethanol has led to an increase in farmers’ income as well as improvement in the environment. At the same time, it is a major step from the perspective of conserving foreign exchange. Therefore, farmers of the country and farmer-friendly people should openly express their views in favour of it. Whenever there is a possibility of farmers receiving a good price from the market, anti-farmer elements sitting in the country immediately create a ruckus in the name of inflation and start fighting to ensure that farmers do not get a good price.
He said that the issue of the India-US trade agreement was also discussed in the meeting. Since negotiations on the agreement are currently stalled, the government has repeatedly said that there will be no agreement concerning agriculture, dairy and fisheries. Farmers are assured by this assurance. The Kisan Sangh said that whenever the negotiations begin, we will keep a watch on them.
The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh is preparing to organise a major Women Farmers’ Conference in Delhi on September 30 on the occasion of the International Year of Women Farmers. The arrangements for the conference were also discussed in the meeting. Thousands of women from across the country are expected to participate. The subjects will include “We will do farming ourselves”, cow-based organic farming, toxin-free food, disease-free life, self-reliance and family education, among others.
Mohini Mohan Mishra, speaking about GM crops, said that just as BT cotton was brought in the name of higher production, thereby ending our self-reliance and ruining cotton cultivation, some people are now attempting to destroy self-reliance in rice through the cultivation of gene-edited rice (paddy). The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh strongly condemns this.
The meeting was attended by all office-bearers as well as presidents, general secretaries, treasurers, regional organisation secretaries and state organisation secretaries from across the country.
At the concluding session of the meeting, Ram Lal Ji, Akhil Bharatiya Sampark Pramukh of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh said, “Thought is greater, not the individual; ‘dictate and debate’ not, ‘discussion’. The foundation of the Golden Jubilee Year should be membership. The worker should have faith in leadership, thought and working methodology. Dialogue and coordination are the real strength of our work culture. National interest is paramount.”
