Wednesday, January 23, 2013

महेंद्र सिंह टिकैत से रेयाज़ उल हक़



इंसान खाप पंचायत का समर्थन करेंगे

 की बातचीत

 

mahendra singh tikait


















किसान यूनियन के अध्यक्ष और बालियान खाप के चौधरी महेंद्र सिंह टिकैत खाप पंचायतों में किसी भी तरह के हस्तक्षेप के खिलाफ हैं. प्रेम विवाह को लेकर उनकी राय है कि इसमें लाज-लिहाज कुछ रह ही नहीं जाता. विवाह अधिनियम में संशोधन को लेकर उनका मानना है कि जो इंसान हैं, वो समर्थन करेंगे और जो राक्षस हैं, वो इसका विरोध करेंगे. उनसे की गई इस बातचीत के कुछ अंश तहलका में प्रकाशित हुये हैं. यहां पेश है पूरी बातचीत.

  
अब तो केंद्र सरकार ने साफ कर दिया है कि वह हिंदू विवाह अधिनियम में संशोधन करने की मांग पर गौर नहीं करेगी. खाप पंचायतें अब क्या करेंगी?

सरकार ने तो बोल दिया है, लेकिन जनता न तो चुप बैठेगी, न भय खाएगी. जो आदमी मान-सम्मान, प्रतिष्ठा और मर्यादा के साथ जिंदगी जीना चाहे उसे जीने दिया जाए, हम यह चाहते हैं. सरकार को या किसी को भी जनता को ऐसा करने से रोकने का क्या अधिकार है? इस देश में गरीब और असहाय लोगों की प्रतिष्ठा को ही सब लूटना चाहते हैं. 'द्वार बंद होंगे नादार (गरीब) के लिए, द्वार खुलेंगे दिलदार के लिए'. आदमी इज्जत के लिए ही तो सब कुछ करता है. चाहे कोई भी इंसान हो, इज्जत से रहना चाहता है.

• लेकिन समाज बदलता भी तो है. प्रतिष्ठा और मर्यादा के पुराने मानक हमेशा नहीं बने रहते. आप इस बदलाव को क्यों रोकना चाहते हैं?

तबदीली तो होती है, बहुत होती है. हमारे यहां भी बहुत तबदीली हुई. हमारी संस्कृति खत्म हो गई. हमारी देशी गाएं अब नहीं रहीं. हमारी जमीन बंजर हो गई. बस इनसान की नस्ल बची हुई है, उस पर भी धावा बोल दिया गया. अपनी नस्ल को भूल कर और उसे खत्म कर के कोई कैसे रह सकता है? और यह सारी बुराई रेडियो-टीवी ने पैदा की है.

• रेडियो-टीवी ने क्या-क्या असर डाले हैं?

बहुत ही खराब. जहां बहन-भाई का भी रिश्ता सुरक्षित नहीं बना रहेगा, वहां इज्जत कैसे बचेगी? महर्षि दयानंद ने कहा था- सात पीढ़ियों को छोड़ कर रिश्ता होना चाहिए. लेकिन राजनीतिक पचड़ा इन बातों को बरबाद कर रहा है. हमारा मानना है कि इनसान का जीवन इनसान की तरह होना चाहिए. पश्चिमी उत्तर प्रदेश, हरियाणा, पंजाब, मध्य प्रदेश के इलाकों में लोग इन नियमों का उल्लंघन बरदाश्त नहीं किया जाएगा.

• आप प्रेम विवाह के इतने खिलाफ क्यों हैं?

लाज-लिहाज तो इसमें कुछ रह ही नहीं जाता. शादी मां-बाप की रजामंदी से हो, परिवार की रजामंदी से हो तो सब ठीक रहता है.

• लेकिन लोगों को अपनी मरजी से जीने और साथी चुनने का अधिकार तो है?

अधिकार तो जरूर है. पशुओं से भी बदतर जिंदगी बना लो इनसान की, इसका अधिकार तो है आपको. लेकिन हम इसे बरदाश्त नहीं करेंगे कि हमारे रिवाजों और मर्यादा पर इस तरह हमला किया जाए.

• और यह मर्यादा के ये पुराने मानक इतने महत्वपूर्ण हैं कि इनके लिए हत्या तक जायज है?

लज्जा, मान, धर्म रक्षा और प्राण रक्षा के लिए तो युधिष्ठिर तक ने कहा था कि झूठ बोलना जायज है. हम अपनी मर्यादा की रक्षा करना चाहते हैं और इसके लिए हम 23 मई को महापंचायत में बैठ रहे हैं जींद में. इसके बाद दिल्ली की लड़ाई होगी.

• आपकी इस लड़ाई में कितने लोग आपके साथ आएंगे? कितने समर्थन की उम्मीद कर रहे हैं आप?

मुझे नहीं पता. मुझे कुछ पता नहीं.

• नवीन जिंदल और ओम प्रकाश चौटाला ने विवाह अधिनियम में संशोधन की मांग का समर्थन किया है. और कौन-कौन से लोग आपके साथ हैं?

इंसान तो इसका समर्थन करेंगे. जो राक्षस हैं, वही हमारी ऐसी मांगों का विरोध करेंगे. इस माहौल में कोई भी हो, चाहे गूजर हो, ठाकुर हो, वाल्मीकि हो, ब्राह्मण हो या हरिजन हो- ऐसी शादियों को कोई भी मंजूर नहीं करेगा. कोई भी इसे बरदाश्त करने को तैयार नहीं है. इतने सब लोग एक साथ हैं.

• किसी राष्ट्रीय राजनीतिक पार्टी ने अब तक आपको समर्थन नहीं दिया है. कोई पार्टी आपके संपर्क में है? आप किससे उम्मीद कर रहे हैं? 

पार्टी की बात नहीं है. यह राजनीतिक मुद्दा नहीं है. यह एक सामाजिक मुद्दा है और इसमें सब साथ आएंगे. वैसे हम किसी (पार्टी) के समर्थन के भरोसे नहीं बैठे हैं. हम आजाद हैं और सरकार को हमारी सुननी पड़ेगी.

• लेकिन अब तक तो सरकार आपसे सहमत नहीं दिखती. अगर उसने नहीं सुना तो आपकी आगे की रणनीति क्या होगी?

वह नहीं मानेगी तो हम देखेंगे. हमारी क्षमता है लड़ाई लड़ने की और हम लड़ेंगे. मरते दम तक लड़ेंगे. (प्रधानमंत्री) मनमोहन सिंह का भी तो कोई गोत्र है. (हरियाणा के मुख्यमंत्री) हुड्डा का भी तो गोत्र है. क्या वे इसे मान लेंगे कि गोत्र में शादी करना जायज है?

• देश के उन इलाकों में भी जहां गोत्र में शादी पर रोक रही है, अब यह उतना संवेदनशील मामला नहीं रह गया है. वहां से एसी कोई मांग नहीं उठी है. फिर खाप पंचायतें इसे लेकर इतने संवेदनशील क्यों हैं?

तमिलनाडू और आंध्र प्रदेश जैसे राज्यों में तो भांजी के साथ शादी जायज है. हम उसके खिलाफ नहीं हैं. हमारा कहना है कि जहां जैसा चलन है वहां वैसा चलने दो. जहां नहीं है, वहां नई बात नहीं चल सकती. बिना काम के किसी बात को छेड़ना, कान को छेड़ना और मशीन के किसी पुरजे को छेड़ना नुकसानदायक है.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Payment due: BKU threatens to stall supply of sugarcane


Seeing poor condition of payment of outstanding cane arrears by private sugar mills, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) is anticipating huge amounts remaining due by end of this crushing session. On Monday, BKU leaders said, if payment situation was not improved within a week time farmers might consider stalling the supply of cane to private mills.
Despite repeated efforts from the Cane Development Department (CDD) and local administration, most of private sugar mills in the State have not paid cane arrears to farmers after December 15 while arrears payment within 14 days of supply was mandatory according to the Sugar Control Act in effect.
Meanwhile, the owners of private sugar mills have started urging the State Government to give them subsidy and grants under various heads as they could pay due arrears which has alerted farmer outfits.
Recently, a delegation of UP Sugar Mills Association (UPSMA) during a meeting with CM Akhilesh Yadav had complained about woes they were facing in payment of hiked State Advisory Price (SAP). The UPSMA delegation also asked the CM to instruct UPPCL for payment of outstanding electricity price.

Friday, January 11, 2013

bku press covrej 9 january





Press note Bhartiya Kisan Union


Press note
Bhartiya Kisan Union

  • Instead of the Minimum Support Price, Farmers should be given a fair remunerative price – Tikait
  • India should stop importing raw sugar – Ajmer Singh lakhowal
  • FDI in retail is not good for Indian farmers – Yudhvir Singh

BKU organized a press conference on the 8th of Jan at the Punjab bhawan in New Delhi. The press conference was addressed by  Ajmer Singh Lakhowal of BKU Punjab, Rakesh Tikait , the spokesperson of BKU and Yudhvir Singh, the general secretary of BKU. They made the following demands from the Indian government.

  1. Farmer should receive a proper remunerative price for their crops:  Farming households should be receiving a proper monthly income and proper remuneration for their crops. The CACP is not following a fair procedure to fix crop prices. Lets look at what happened with the wheat prices during this season. During 2012-2013 the CACP had recommended a price of Rs 1400 per quintal of wheat. Following this the government had fixed the wheat MSP at 1285 Rs per quintal. But this year despite a serious increase in the production costs, there is no mention of increasing the MSP. Farmers are having to bear the burden of increasing production costs themselves. BKU demands that crop prices are fixed according to the recommendation of the Hooda committee report  as well as the National Farmers Commission which says that farmers should receive 50% above the cost of cultivation at least. These steps are urgently needed to stop farmers from committing suicide and have a dignified life in our country.

  2. Stop the import of raw sugar to protect local sugar producers: Indian sugar farmers are very worried to hear that the Indian government has approved sugar imports. In the ongoing 2012-2013, the supply of sugar in India is much higher than the national demand. Yet a total of 4,50,000 tons of sugar have been imported by sugar mills and traders. According to forecasts, this years production of sugar will amount to 24 million tons while there is still a stock of 6.5 million tons remaining from last year. A total of about 30.5 million tons of sugar is thus available locally in India itself. While the national demand for sugar is only 20 million tons leaving a 10.5 million ton surplus of sugar in India. Because of the crashing global sugar prices, sugar mills are making a profit of about 60 USD per ton by importing cheaper foreign sugar instead of buying locally. BKU demands that import duties on sugar should be increased from the current 10% to 60% percent. The Indian farmers, including sugar farmers are already not receiving a remunerative price for their produce, unnecessarily importing sugar to benefit traders and foreign producers will put a serious burden on our already suffering farmers.

  3. Farmers will not benefit from FDI in retail: The government has made a false claim that FDI in retail will benefit farmers, however according to our own experience with Pepsico which had claimed to bring in a supposed horticultural revolution in Punjab in the 80's, and when the government had made similar claims of a foreign corporation rescuing the farm sector, this is not true. At the time when Pepsico had come into Punjab, farmers followed all the instructions of the company and purchased seeds, fertilizers and cropped accordingly to the companies needs. However, when the time came to purchase farmers produce, the company imposed all kinds of grading schemes to prevent purchasing from a large percentage of the farmers, who suffered a total loss due to the false claims made by the company earlier. Pepsico did not bring in any revolution, it only succeeded in selling its own drinks in the Indian market which was always its original plan. What is the guarantee that Walmart will not do the same? How will the government prevent Walmart from importing and dumping cheap foreign agricultural produce in India? How will it prevent large retail from fixing farm gate and consumer prices according to their will? Foreign corporations have come to control the majority of the of the seed and fertilizer industry in India due to the governments policies, we cannot let them control our retail trade and take over completely our food and farming.
  4. Keep agriculture and other areas vital for human life out of free trade agreements.
  5. The government must consult BKU and independent farmers organizations before coming out with the budget.

Sincerely,




Rakesh Tikait
National Spokesperson BKU

Ajmer Singh Lakhowal
BKU Punjab
Yudhvir Singh
General Secretary BKU

Protect Sugarcane Farmers’ Interest: Increase the Import Duty on Raw


                                                                                                                                             08-01- 2013

To,
Honourable Shri Manmohan Singh je
Prime Minister of India
North Block
New Delhi

Subject:          Protect Sugarcane Farmers’ Interest: Increase the Import Duty on Raw Sugar

Respected Sir,

The sugarcane growers in India are quite concerned with the Indian government move to allow import of raw sugar this year, after a gap of two years, even though there is confirmed assessment of surplus sugarcane production in the country in the current season (October 2012- September 2013). We would like to draw your attention on this issue and would demand from you to increase the import duty on sugar from current 10% to at least 60% as soon as possible. We would also demand that the government must bring out notification to immediately stop any further import of raw or refined sugar in 2013.  

We have confirmed news that some of the Indian mills (like ED&F Man and Renuka) have signed deals to import 450,000 tonnes of Brazilian raw sugar from October 2012 because of low global price for sugar. It is also well established that whenever India decide to import sugar, it surges the global prices for sugar.  India, the world’s No.2 sugar producer after Brazil, last imported the sweetener in 2009/10, sending global prices to 30-year highs.

As per the current projection, the estimated sugar production in 2012-13 is 24 million tonnes. Besides that the year ending stock, as on 30 September 2012, is expected at 6.5 mt. Hence the total domestic sugar stock in the year 2012-13 is expected to be 30.5 million tonnes, which is quite sufficient to meet the domestic requirement of sugar.

Total expected production =   24 MT
Last year opening =                6.5 MT
Total available sugar =            30.5MT
Total expected requirement= 20 MT
Excess stock (expected)  =     10.5 MT (FY 2012-13)

The drop in global sugar prices is quite attractive for Indian mills to import cheap sugar. The price difference in the global market is so high that despite calculating processing and handling cost, importer can make a profit of more than $60 per tonne. Besides that, it is also quite lucrative for them to import cheap sugar given the sharp increase in domestic price of sugar which has climbed by around 25% in the past three months to $680 ( Rs 35,938) a tonne, making imports a profitable proposition.

It is expected that the import of sugar would bring down retail prices, which is currently surging between Rs. 40 to 50 per kg, but the previous year experience indicate that the huge duty free imports do not help the consumers at all, except helping the importers, the foreign traders and the bureaucrats/politicians who get their commissions on each order. The entire people of our country are made to suffer so that a few may make fortunes. It is indeed a tragic policy that has resulted in windfall profits for a few at the cost of millions of farmers and crores of consumers.  India’s dependence on imports is NOT a solution to the sugar problem—whether shortage or high prices. The only solution must be to promote sugarcane production by investing in agriculture and subsidising the farmer. In this way not only would the farmer and rural economy flourish, the consumer too would get sugar at a reliable price.

We, the Bhaartiya Kissan Union, urge you to please take up this issue seriously. We urge you to increase the import duty on sugar from 10% to 60% to save the interest of domestic sugarcane grower. The sugar cane farmers are already suffering with low farmgate price for sugar with the implementation of fair and remunerative prices (F&R) for sugarcane in 2009 with the amendment in the Government of India’s Sugar (Control) Order of 1966. Due to drought like conditions in UP, the cost of production of sugarcane has almost double and the retail price for refined sugar has more than doubled in last 2 months but there is no corresponding increase in sugarcane prices. The increase in fertilizer prices up to 122% in the last two years has further worsened the situation for sugarcane farmers.

We therefore urge you to please take up this issue in the next Cabinet committee meeting and take a policy decision to increase the import duty on sugar to 60 percent and moreover, impose a ban on import of all kinds of sugar immediately.

We sincerely hope that you would look into this problem and take necessary actions on an urgent basis to protect the interest of millions of sugarcane farmers in the country.

Kind regards, 




Ch. Yudhvir Singh                                                                                          Rakesh Tikait 
General Secretary                                                                                            Spokesperson
Indian Coordination Committee of Farmers’ Movement                               Bhartiya Kissan Union