AAP extends support to farmers' protests in Rajasthan

New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) The AAP on Sunday said it had extended support to the protests proposed by two farmer unions in June in Rajasthan to demand loan waiver and cost plus 50 per cent profit based on the Swaminathan Committee recommendations.

"The 'Kisan Mahapanchayat', backed by 69 farmer organisations, and the 'Aam Kisan Union', supported by 103 organisations, will hold protests from June 1 to 10, during which farmers in Rajasthan will not participate in agriculture-related work but sell their produce from their homes instead of markets," said AAP leader Ashish Khetan.

"The farmer organisations had sought Aam Aadmi Party support. So, all our party workers will participate in the proposed protests," he said.

"The farmers are demanding that people living in urban area should come to their villages to buy farm products," the AAP leader added.

Om Jangu, a farmer leader from Rajasthan, said: "Water from Indira Canal, which is distributed in nine districts of the state, is used for drinking also but is contaminated. Wastewater from factories is discharged into the canal.

"The Prime Minister is talking about celebrating the World Environment Day on June 5, but he can't see what water we are being supplied for drinking."

Jangu also said that the country is importing sugar and pulses but doesn't have money to pay its own farmers.