Farmers Protest: MS Swaminathan's Daughters Madhura, Soumya Want 'Annadatas' Treated With Dignity

Daughters of noted agricultural scientist late Prof MS Swaminathan, who was recently honoured with Bharat Ratna, want agrarians to be treated with dignity. The remarks by Madhura Swaminathan and Soumya Swaminathan come amid the protest by the farmers against the Narendra Modi-led government. The farmers are pressing for their demands including legally guarantee Minimum Support Price (MSP).

Hyderabad/New Delhi:The 'Delhi Chalo' agitation of the farmers spearheaded by Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha against the Centre is in full swing. The farmers are protesting to press for various demands including legally guarantee Minimum Support Price (MSP) and loan waivers.

The protesting farmers held two meetings with Union Ministers in Chandigarh but both remained inconclusive. A group of Union Ministers, comprising agricultural minister Arjun Munda, Piyush Goyal and Nityanand Rai, will once again be meeting the farmers on Thursday evening.

Besides a legal guarantee for MSP, the farmers are demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations for farmer welfare, pensions for farmers and farm labourers, and debt waiver, among others. The farmers are also seeking withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstating the Land Acquisition Act 2013, withdrawing from the World Trade Organization, and compensating families of farmers who died during the previous agitation.

The Swaminathan Commission report is yet to implemented by the Centre. The Narendra Modi-led government recently announced Bharat Ratna, country's highest civilian honour to late Prof MS Swaminathan, a global leader of green revolution, to honour his contribution in the agricultural field.

However amid the farmers protest, Swaminathan's daughters Madhura Swaminathan, who is the Professor and Head of the Economic Analysis Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Bengaluru and Soumya Swaminathan want the 'Annadatas' (farmers) to be treated with dignity.

Madhura Swaminathan even said that agrarians cannot be treated as criminals. "The 'Anndatas' - the farmers of Punjab today are marching to Delhi. I believe, according to the news paper reports, there are jails being prepared for them in Haryana. There are barricades, there are all kinds of things being done to prevent them. These are farmers. They are not criminals," Madhura Swaminathan said at a programme.

"I request you all of you - the leading scientists of India have to talk to the farmers. We cannot treat them like criminals. We have to find solutions. Please, this is my request. I think if you have to continue and honour MS Swaminathan, then we will have to take the farmers with us, in whatever strategy we are planning for the future," she added.

Madhura was overwhelmed with her emotions for farmers when she uttered her father's name and her voice showcased it for the audience in the hall and others who joined the live-stream of the event, to a round of applause. The host was quick to point and thank her for her 'emotional appeal'.

Meanwhile, Soumya Swaminathan, while addressing the ICAR function in New Delhi through video conferencing held to celebrate Bharat Ratna, to late MS Swaminathan, said her parents were parents to many many IRAI students.

She recalled how her house was crawling with students, when he was there at IRAI. "I think my father (MS Swaminathan), was completely devoted to the agriculture and more importantly to the cause of farmers welfare and also the welfare of the marginalised communities in India. The people are still living in a very very precarious situations. Many of them are small holder farmers and as well as small fishermen. As well as tribal people whose life has changed because of the new laws that have come into force so they no longer have access to the forest produce," Soumya Swaminathan said.

According to Soumya Swaminathan, that has impacted not just their economic situation but definitely their nutrition security. She further said "people who grow food for us actually themselves are not living very healthy or prosperous lives."

She added her late father used to speak about "hidden hunger" a lot and he was one of the first people to talk about hidden hunger.