Bengaluru, Apr 11: Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda claimed the lockdown decision was taken in 'haste' without forethought because of which farmers and the working class were 'suffering' and suggested measures to mitigate the impact. The state government should have consulted experienced citizens, officials, progressive farmers, farmer organisations and wholesale traders about the pros and cons before lockdown, he said in a letter to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, while highlighting that 61 per cent of the state's population depended on agriculture.
Because of the "hasty decision taken without any preparations", farmers of the country and the state are facing financial distress," he said in the April 9 letter, a copy of which was released to media here on Friday. The JD(S) patriarch suggested taking up some measures, including ensuring no restrictions on agriculture activities, procurement of horticulture produce at a fair price, relaxing export curbs on it, to provide relief to farmers, agriculture labourers, and daily wage workers.
On Sunday, Gowda had said he has assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his support in the nation's battle against COVID-19 pandemic when the latter called him to discuss the situation. In his letter to the chief minister, Gowda said: "...the lockdown implemented to control the spread of coronavirus has led our farmers into despair and put their lives into a burning fire.
This lockdown looks like a decision taken at haste without proper thinking and forethought for our farmers, agriculture labourers, and daily wage workers." He said the lockdown decision was taken after remaining 'quite' for about two months since the first corona infection was reported in the country on January 30. Among the suggestions made by the former prime minister include, procurement of horticulture produce at a fair price like in the case of milk from villages by the government through related organisations like Karnataka Horticulture Federation, HOPCOMS among others.
As horticulture produce was perishable, there should be no restriction on its procurement, transportation and marketing; all processing related activities of horticulture produce should be given relaxation from the lockdown, he said. Gowda also called for relaxation on exports for horticulture produce and its processed items. There should be no restriction on agriculture activities; a national grid has to be set up for marketing of horticulture produce, he said.
If such measures were not taken up immediately, the government will have to pay compensation to farmers for losses. Lack of remedial measures would lead to a shortage of supply, leading to rebellion from the people and may result in farmers' suicides and bringing about a situation that might be more grave than coroanvirus, he said.
Comments
Is Modi Govt taking care of indians or UK. Is he PM for UK or India. He has already sold India in the hands of foreign investers and now selling indian assets also which was inherited from old kings. May be Modi will sell Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar, Vidhana soudha, Srirangapatna Mandir, Kollur Mandir to foreigners and make money for bjp and its supporters. shame on you bjp Govt. It will be better to kick out this Govt very soon otherwise we Indians will be completely sold out to foreigners. Beware of this looter's Govt.
Cheddi fans are BLINDLY supporting him. Start opening your EYES ... Looters have no issue and those helper who in the first place helped the british to loot the KOHInoor has no issue... Its not new.
Modi Govt. is a very big fake and rubbish Govt. any promise they fulfilled till now..?, hope their term will complete very soon after that only Acche Din will come..
After all RSS is the agent of British raj. How can they go against their
will ? THE REAL NAME OF RSS IS ROYAL SECRET SERVICE, which was giving then British rulers information about indian freedom fighters.
They are their sole agent then and even now.!
BLACK MONEY BHI NAHI KHOHINOOR BHI NAHI
Waah thief waah!!!
Next he will tell British never invaded India.
We invited them to learn to wear bikini.
RSS is the enemy of India.
It did not surprise me... We know cheddis partner during freedom struggle...
I think Kohinoor diamond belongs to Mugals (Shahajan). how Ranjith Sing is gifting British
Yes, its nice to see it with queen rather than kept here in India...someone will take it if it is kept here....can't trust....
Same like \National Herald is gifted to Sonia Gandhi and not looted by her\" as claimed by Congress party."
If a slave gives a \gift\" to his master, there is always room for reinterpreting the idea behind the \"gift\". But if the new masters are not different from the old, how can this happen? This is the tragedy of India - and this is why we ought to see that the Cong, BJP, CPI etc are actually a continuation of the British colonial legacy. You can defeat them in some cricket matches, but when it comes to substantive issues, you concede the match even before it begins. This is the colonialism of the mind."
Look like air leaking from 56inch chest.
Soon it will be 26 inch.
This decision of govt also justify
British rule over India.
Shame on BJP.
bjp and rss revere godse, the criminal who brutally killed Gandhiji. bjp/rss are agents of british
We want Kohinoor back, who is government to tell them to keep it and they then call themselves as nationaliats. These are real anti-nationals and agents of British.
@Tolerant Indian: Disappointing. The Brits don't deserve our Kohinoor. But if was a gift, then we shouldn't be expecting it back. Blame our Maharaja of Punjab. Height of MASKA GIRI.
Tolerant Indian: spineless modi. Kohinoor belongs to India. it is India's shaan. lalit modi now vijay mallaya took our money to UK. farmers and poor are committing suicide and government gifting riches to other countries.
@Tolerant Indian: Indians have the generosity to make the world rich, by gifting and stashing money in foreign countries!
We have had gifted everything to British during British rule! And now our Rich Indians started gifting by moving out of the country to get settled in UK? There is no surprise, everything is fine in Love to English!
Bring Kohinoor Back Kohinoor was our heritage, it should be brought back.
Kohinoor wasn't a gift. But a war prize that was pushed down our throats by sly East India Co. Better revise stand.
Everyone knows that RSS is always acted as British agent.
Kohinoor was not stolen from India. It was merely abducted. Shine On You Crazy Diamond.
Someone just told me 'we have enough gems in the govt, who needs Kohinoor.'
Okay Britain, let's do a deal. You give us back on thing we gave you - Kohinoor. We'll give you back one thing you gave us - Section 377.
modi govt run by buffoons: Kohinoor gifted by Ranjit Singh to brits? he died in 1839, brits snatched diamond in 1849!
After all, the difference between \gifted\" and \"lifted\" is just one letter."
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