Rythu Rakshana Vedika launched

Aims to protect farmers' interestsA

• Over 20 farmer associations come together
• Aims to make farming a profitable profession
• Farmers' manifesto to be posed to political parties
• Hotline to be established to receive complaints on sale of spurious seeds

Hyderabad: In a fresh bid to find a solution for the problems being faced by the farmers in the State, a conglomeration of over 20 farmers' associations and a new peasants' organisation, 'Rythu Rakshana Vedika' was formed on Friday.A The Vedika aims to stop suicides by distressed farmers and create confidence among the families of those farmers who committed suicide, by extending supportive measures.

Responding to the initiative taken by HMTV and The Hans India at Hyderabad Media House, representatives of various farmers' associations, agricultural scientists and social activists, who participated in a seminar which lasted for about four hours, resolved to fight for freeing the State from the menace of suicidal deaths. The seminar was presided over by Editor-in-Chief of HMTV and The Hans India K Ramachandra Murthy.

Explaining the objective of the seminar, the participants said that the common objective of the Vedika was to extend a helping hand to the victims' families, make farming a profitable profession and protect the interests of the farmers at all levels.

It also resolved that the Vedika would prepare a 'farmers manifesto' which would be posed to all political parties and would urge them to include the recommendations in their election manifestos for 2014 general elections to strengthen the agriculture sector. The organisation would conduct a study on land, water, power, seeds and marketing facilities, with the involvement of farming community, agricultural scientists and farmers' associations.

The participants representing various associations unanimously elected Ramachandra Murthy as the convener of the Rythu Rakshana Vedika and authorised him to appoint state and district level committees.A Speaking on the occasion, Murthy said that a hotline would be established to receive complaints from farmers on spurious seeds and exploitation done by seed companies. Based on the complaints, the organisation would respond immediately and alert the government and concerned authorities.

Stressing on the need to involve large number of women in the struggle, he said that the Vedika would create a corpus fund to help the needy, particularly the family members of the victims in the form of providing educational facilities to their children and alternative livelihood.

Before organising the state level meeting, the organisation would hold district level and regional level (South and North Telangana, South and North Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema) meetings to create awareness among farmers and mobilise them in a big way. The Vedika would not be affiliated to any political party but would invite political leaders who are committed to serve farmers. This would help create new leaders from farming community.

The organisation would be transformed into a permanent study centre for State agriculture after 2014 election. All India Kisan- Majdoor Sabha (AIKMS), Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), Telugu Rythu, Rythu Swarajya Vedika, Grama Bharathi, Forum for Good Governance, AP Rythu Sangham, Telangana Rythu Samithi, Jalasadhana Samithi, Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Bharatiya Agro Economical Research Centre, Chetena Vedika, Lok Satta party ( farmers wing), agriculture scientists, philanthropists and retired officials from agriculture departments joined the endeavour to protect farmers from distress. Farmers' leaders like Dr Yelamanchili Shivaji, Kodanda Reddy, Anji reddy, Laxminarayana, Duscherla Satyanarayana, Padmanabha Reddy, Prof. Jalapathi Rao, Narasimha Reddy and many others spoke at the meeting.