Bitter struggle: Govt must protect farmers’ rights: Sirajul Haq

JI leader says govt must raise support prices for rice, cotton

BAHAWALPUR:

The government should do more to protect farmers’ rights before it is too late, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) amir Senator Sirajul Haq said on Tuesday.

He was addressing a public gathering at Azam Chowk, Bahawalpur.

“The present system cannot continue. The rich are getting richer while the poor are destitute,” he said.

Haq said that a large number of educated youth were unemployed. “Many farmers are worried about their livelihood. A large number of people live in constant fear due to poverty, electricity loadshedding and rampant crime,” he said.

The JI chief said that some politicians in high places had used public money for personal gains. “They have been virtually feeding on the life blood of the people. The time has come to snatch power from people who have made fortunes by exploiting the hard work of peasants and labourers,” he said.

He said that many sugar mill owners had become political personalities. “Sugar mill owners should pay the farmers immediately. Else their mills will not run,” he said.

“The farmers have been awakened. The Kissan Raaj [government by farmers] will continue. We want farmers to get their rights. They should be given interest-free loans,” he said.

He criticised some political leaders. “Whenever the country is passing through difficult times, the political mafia leaves for Dubai or London. This country runs on hard work by the poor. They get nothing in return. Farmer are spending upto Rs50,000 per acre of farmland. If they make no more than Rs20,000, what is the use of growing such crops? They might as well burn down the yield,” he said.

Haq said that the support price for 40 kilogrammes of cotton should be Rs4,000, of rice Rs2,500, of sugarcane Rs250 and of corn Rs1,500. “The JI supports farmers in their struggle for their rights,” he said.

He demanded ownership rights for people tilling Cholistan land. “When we come into power, we will give them their rights. We will establish an Islamic system in the country to make Pakistan prosperous,” he said.

Haq said that under a JI government, heart and liver diseases, thalassemia and cancer would be treated free of cost. He said that the children of the poor should have equal access to education. Haq said that he would do everything to get farmers and labourers their rights.

He said that he supported the demand for a Bahawalpur province.

He said that the Kissan Long March would reach Islamabad on October 9.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 7^th, 2015.