Poster unveiled for AIKS national meet

Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham State president G Eswaraiah and general secretary KVV Prasad unveiled a wall poster at the CPI State Office, Dasari Bhavan, on Wednesday, promoting the upcoming All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) national conference, set to be held in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu, from April 15 to 17.
Addressing the media, the 7 said the conference would highlight the deepening agrarian crisis in the country. Also, they called for nationwide farmers’ movements to secure cultivators’ rights and address the systemic issues plaguing Indian agriculture sector.
They reiterated their long-standing demand for the Central government to implement a Minimum Support Price (MSP) at 50 per cent above the comprehensive cost of production (C2+50), in accordance with the recommendations of Dr MS Swaminathan. They urged the Centre to pass legislation providing a legal guarantee for the MSP formula. They noted that this would be a central agenda at the upcoming conference.
Criticising the NDA government led by the BJP, the leaders alleged that farmers have been denied MSP during its tenure. They said farmers continue to suffer losses due to crop failures caused by natural calamities, leaving many unable to recover their investments. They also charged the Central government with failing to provide adequate compensation or relief to the affected farmers.
Highlighting the psychological and financial toll, Eswariah and Prasad stated that farmer suicides are rising, driven by unmanageable debt and a loss of self-confidence. To prevent further tragedies, they demanded a nationwide waiver of all crop loans, including those taken by tenant farmers. They also called for a comprehensive, free crop insurance scheme to safeguard both land-owning and tenant farmers.
The Rythu Sangham leaders also strongly opposed the acquisition of agricultural lands under the guise of industrial and infrastructural development, alleging that farmers receive only nominal compensation. They demanded strict implementation of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
Further, they criticised the Central government’s policies, calling for the withdrawal of the National Agricultural Market Policy, the Digital Agriculture Mission, and the new Cooperative Act, which they said were designed to favor corporate interests and undermine the cooperative sector.
Others present at the press conference included P Jamalaiah, State general secretary of the Andhra Pradesh Koulu Rythula Sangham, M Yallamanda Rao, State vice-president of Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham, and member M Rajendra Prasad.