FARMERS are the ORPHANS the NATION always IGNORE!!! - Johnny D

The greatest son of the soil Late Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri is and will always be the only Prime Minister of the Independent India, which duly gave the rightful place to Bhartiya Kisaan (Indian Farmers) and Fauji (Army) with his effective slogan - "Jai Jawan, Jai Kisaan"!

Yes! For every nation in the world to flourish in the real sense, the Defence and the Agriculture Sectors are the two most essentials... while the first protects the nation from all the invasion (external & internal), the second feeds the nation! Unfortunately, before and post Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri's rule, none of the Prime Ministers of India have really bothered about these two sectors in the real sense... while Defence Expenditure have been increased because of neighbouring countries aggression since 1947, sadly, the Agriculture Sector Expenditure has seen drastic drop as decades have vanished in oblivion...

Farmers are the orphans the nation always ignores but farmers' community also happens to be the LARGE CHUNK of MEAT for everyone to exploit and suck the last drop of blood from their bodies - from greedy corrupt politicians to corporate companies (fertilizers, pesticides, seeds, farm machinaries etc) to moneylenders, micro-finance and banks (giving loans to buy all the lavish items like motorcycles, tractors, Dish TV etc) to the media (to encash and highlight farmers' suicide without really writing about the ground realities) ... well, till the last drop is sucked from their poverty and selfless act to feed the nation... everyone seems to be busy with various plans of action!

Irrigation Infrastructure takes decades to remain INCOMPLETE, faulty government policies make sure that MSP of various crops are kept so low that farmers will never be able to come out of the debt cycle, the market lobby along with the government make sure that during sowing season the rates of the seeds, fertilizers and pesticides are raised by creating the artificial shortage, and in the name of Economic Growth their fertile lands are grabbed by everyone, water which should actually go for irrigating farms are diverted to private thermal power projects and heavy industries by government... and if this is not, even the nature doesn't leave the farmers with its swinging moods - either there is heavy rainfall or else drought...

So what does an orphan do in such a situation? Succumb to suicide?

The selfless act of the farmers' community to grow food grains and cash crops for the nation in extreme conditions - be it heavy rains, hot sun, high and low temperatures... they forget about their family's hunger to work for the nation... BUT... what does the Nation gives in return to these selfless hard working community? 

No water to irrigate their farms;

No electricity supply when there is the real need to operate their pumps to irrigate their farms;

Suicide;

Debt Trap;

No proper godowns to store the food grains (as billions worth food grains are allowed to rot by ministry);

Improper MSP for crops by government;

They have to sell their wives (in Bundelkhand in 2009) to feed their children;

No Pension for their efforts till the ripe old age of 75 plus;

Their fertile lands are grabbed in the name of economic growth;

No proper Medical Aid;

No proper education for their children;

No alternative of employment during off season of farming;

Anti-export policies;

No proper subsidy;

Well, life of a farmer is certainly not a rosy one in our nation, a nation that is supposed to be dominated by the Agriculture as near about 70 per cent of the population live in the rural India... just like an orphan who is often thrashed by anyone and everyone in the society, the farmers' community have really no one that will stand for them to benefit in the real sense... everyone exploits them to benefit out of them!

It is certainly high time the NATION should take due notice if it wish to secure the future of today's generation... because the future ahead is heading for a big catastrophe with:

No Sufficient water;

No Sufficient fertile land;

No Farmers to grow food ( as farmers are quitting farming for better pastures);

No Sufficient Natural Resources will be left;

Farmers are the orphans that needs love, care and every help possible that should make this wonderful laborious community to keep growing food for the nation... by supporting them and their families... and not exploiting them for the greed!