Nizamabad: BJP MP gave a pledge in writing during his election campaign to set up a Turmeric Board for Nizamabad. He stated in the pledge that in case of his failure he would resign from his seat and join the farmers in their struggle.
This matter has been raised by member of the Upper House K R Suresh in Rajya Sabha and reminded the house about the written pledge made by Arvind to set up a turmeric board within five days from his election to the Lower House. If he failed to set up the Turmeric Board, he claimed in his pledge that he would resign from his seat and join the farmers in the state in their struggle.
In the Parliamentary constituency of Nizamabad, rural Armor, Balkonda, Jagtial, Kortala and Nirmal district, the turmeric cultivated on a large scale. About 80,000 acres of land is under Turmeric cultivation in these areas.
The Turmeric farmers are agitating for minimum price since many years. The current MLC K Kavitha had made a representation to the PM Narendra Modi and the central finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman for setting up a Turmeric Board.
Nirmala Sitharaman announced to set up a spice board which was rejected by K Kavitha and continued her struggle.
The state government had allocated land for Turmeric Board in Nizamabad and the foundation stone laying was done through a Central minister for Spices Board.
During the election campaign D Arvind had the Central Minister Prakash Javdekar, Rajnath Singh and BJP National Secretary Ram Madhav announced to set up a Turmeric Board. To get the support of the farmers, he had given a written a pledge to establish the turmeric board upon his election as MP.
It is two years and instead of Turmeric Board, Arvind had brought the Spices Board. But the agitating farmers are insisting for a Turmeric Board and protesting from time to time.
To a question asked by Upper House member K R Suresh yesterday in Rajya Sabha the Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar categorically overruled the possibility of a turmeric board which lead to widespread indignation among the turmeric farmers in the state.
The Turmeric farmers are demanding resignation of D Arvind and to join their struggle as pledged by him during his election campaign.
The State Secretary of the Farmer’s organizations in the state V Prabhakar released a statement asking D Arvind to resign from his seat else he would face the wrath of the farmers in coming days.
Prabhakar also expressed his indignation over the state’s agriculture budget and demanded waiving the farmer’s loans and setting up of purchasing centers. He warned that in case of failure the state farmer would launch agitation like the farmer’s agitation in Delhi.