Page 9 - English Tehelka Issue 5 - March 15, 2018

interview

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‘Have you committed suicide in the past seventy

top stories from the magazine ever seen years since independence. From March
23, we are spearheading nationwide
peaceful protests to enlighten the
Why has a dead fish ancient sufi shrine industrialists people vis a vis the twin problems of
corruption and government apathy.
become Worth `1.25 at centre of another We have constituted core
crore in Punjab? mandir-masjid roW committing committees in eighteen odd states and
A fallout of the state The Haji Malang dargah demanded fifty percent increment
police launching a near Mumbai has become suicide in on agricultural produce to farmers.
concerted offensive a contentious issue with Farmers are committing suicides in
the absence of any formidable policy
seems to have forced members of Hindu right- India?’ meant for agrarian community.
drug traffickers to wing groups claiming that Farmers should get ‘agri-production
change their tactics, it is an ancient temple photo: tehelka archives security’ and the government should
investigates and demanding control Gandhian anna hazare, incensed with provide pension of 5,000 each to
Raju William over it, Manmohan Singh Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s regime, ‘I have written 30 those farmers who have been involved
Naula reports says that the power-high PM is pursuing in agrarian production for the past sixty
anti-people policies. The Lok Pal issue and letters to PM Modi in years and there is no one holding any
farmers’ suicides are among the central the last three years, job of profit in the household.
issues to have provoked the octogenarian The Farmers’ Pension Bill tabled in
Hazare to spearhead a nationwide but I’m still waiting Parliament long back is still hanging
adultery laW: sc looks Was ending haj subsidy satyagraha or peaceful protest from March fire. The bill stipulates the provision
back to move forWard a Pious move or a 23. In a tete-a-tete with manmohan singh for his reply.’ of pension to those farmers who have
The top court is being stunt? noula and jawed khurshid, he spoke at attained sixty years of age. We will
wise in attempting Scrapping pilgrimage length on farmers’ plight, corruption and raise this issue vociferously during our
to change laws with aid on the day when declining political morality. should have one within the stipulated protests march.
I have already demanded
progressing times, such VHP leader Togadia period of two years. After the Narendra implementation of the Commission
Modi government came to power in
as the archaic adultery alleged that the govt edITed excerPTs froM aN INTervIew • 2014, on July 27, 2016, it brought a new for Agriculture Cost and Price (CACP)
law that treats a woman seeks to kill him may What provoked you to go against bill and passed it in a single day in the recommendation in verbatim for
as her husband’s property, well be an attempt to PM Narendra Modi? Lok Sabha and a day after, on July 28, fixing agricultural price. Due to its
notes Ashok Kumar divert the attention I am not against PM Narendra Modi tabled the bill in Rajya Sabha which too non-implementation farmers are
Yadav of media and masses, but against corruption and price rise was passed on the same day. On July committing suicide. Currently, farmers
writes Abdul Wasey which has acquired titanic proportion 29, it was sent for Presidential ascent. are not getting the adequate price for
nowadays. Modi rode to power on Within three days the new law on Lok their produce which pushes them into
the crest of anti-corruption wave. In Pal was formed. financial hardship. Modi government
2011, we spearheaded an agitation to The BJP has diluted the Lokpal Bill is pro-industrialists and turning
eliminate corruption. The erstwhile by excluding government officers Nelson’s Eye to farmers’ plight. Here
india’s Policy gets carrying on the fight government had made a law on Lok Pal and staffers from displaying their only farmers commit suicide. Have
more realistic With against 1984 injustice which was weakened by the present source of income and wealth. The you ever heard about any industrialist
committing suicide?
dispensation. The bill which was tabled very spirit of the bill as an instrument
Pakistan Writer Vikram Kapur by the Manmohan Singh government to stifle corruption is defeated. We are
Indo-Pak enmity, writes yet again on and later crystallised into a robust law definitely going to make people aware If you want to reform political
largely a result of the the anti-Sikh genocide to spurn corruption at high places was of this. We will highlight this in our parties, you have to become part of
ISI’s obsession with that rattled New Delhi tampered with by the current regime agitation. I have written 30 letters to PM the system?
it’s Hindu-majority over two decades ago, in order to keep babus outside its ambit. Modi in the last three years, but I’m still Many who joined us during our
The UPA government had initially
neighbour, has a new keeping memories of made its commitment to establish an waiting for his reply. previous agitation have left us and
joined political parties, some even
challenge to face with an abhorrent tragedy ombudsman in every state, but later Besides corruption, what are the became ministers and party office
Delhi’s transformation alive, book review by changed the spirit of the document by other issues which you are going to bearers. Politics these days has become
from victim to Humra Quraishi adding that the state which already had raise during the agitation? hideouts of anti-social and criminals
vocal critic, writes a Lokayukta would no longer need the The next is farmers’ issue. In India, and one should not fall prey to it.
Harcharan Bains new law. Manmohan Singh also said which is still a predominantly agrarian
that the state which had no Lokayukta economy, over 12 lakh farmers have letters@tehelka.com

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