Bhubaneswar: Amid the mega convention of thousands of farmers in Lower PMG here over price, pension and prestige, the convenor of Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS) Akshay Kumar on Monday threatened the state government to take the agitation to every nook and corner of the state as a non-cooperation movement if their demands are not fulfilled.
Earlier yesterday, police attempted to foil the rally of farmers marching to Bhubaneswar to take part in the mega convention by imposing section 144 in Tamando area on the outskirts of the city, however, it failed to make any impact.
"The police tried to deter the farmers from coming to submit their grievances here, so the farmers will now not allow politicians, ministers to enter villages. Until the government accepts our demands to pass an ordinance for budgetary allocation of Rs 21,600 crore for 36 lakh farmers, non-cooperation movement will spread from panchayat to block and district level. Farmers may stop politicians from visiting villages or even gherao block offices, police stations and this might severely affect the upcoming elections," Kumar said.
Meanwhile, even though an inter-ministerial committee comprising Agriculture and Panchayati Raj Minister and Cooperative Minister has been formed under the chairmanship of Finance Minister Sashi Bhusan Behera to prepare terms of reference to discuss the demands of farmers, the latter have alleged that it is just another attempt to cheat them.