Angry farmers hold protest over crop insurance in Keshod

Rajkot: Angry with the state government over failure in granting crop insurance, farmers took out a protest rally in of Keshod on Monday. The farmers from Mangrol and Keshod suffered heavy losses after their standing crop was destroyed by unseasonal rains under influence of cyclones Kyarr and Maha.

About 700 farmers rode on bullock carts, tractors and bikes and took out the rally from Keshod Taluka Panchayat office to Keshod Mamlatdar office, where they submitted a memorandum to the mamlatdar.

“We have urged the state government to declare Keshod and Mangrol talukas as affected by excessive rains and sought compensation for farmers, immediate release of crop insurance. Alternatively, we have demanded special package for farmers,” said Pravin Ram, regional president of Jan Adhikar Manch, a farmers’ body.

“Those farmers who have not paid the insurance premium should also be considered as beneficiaries. We have also demanded the supply of fodder for the cattle,” added Ram.

He said that if the government did not take immediate corrective measures, the farmers would intensify their agitation by courting mass arrests and block roads.

“A total of 101 memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by the farmers of Surendranagar, Morbi, Rajkot and Jamnagar were submitted to the collectors and mamlatdars of respective districts. The farmers have also demanded removal of chief minister Vijay Rupani from the post, alleging that he had failed to resolve their problems. The farmers also said they would write to the President, if their issues were not resolved by November 20,” said J K Patel, a farmer leader from Halvad, who mobilized the farmers of different districts to launch a drive of submitting memorandums. Meanwhile in Halvad of Morbi district, the farmers disrupted the procedure of auction of the cotton crop and held chakka jam as the cost of their produce plummeted.