Mangaluru : Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha members staged a protest in front of the deputy commissioner’s office in Mangaluru, on Tuesday.

KRRS president Ravikiran said that the farmers are in distress owing to lack of price for the farm produce. “The government should waive all the loans of the farmers. Those who have repaid the loans should also get benefit of loan waiver scheme. Even the loans borrowed from nationalised banks, private banks should also be waived, to rescue farmers who are in the vicious circle of financial crisis,” said the president.

He said that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) should be implemented effectively to benefit farmers and labour class.

General secretary Suresh Bhat Kojambe urged the government not to implement recommendations of the Kasturirangan report on the conservation of Western Ghats. The government should constitute a committee by including farmers and prepare a report on the conservation of environment.

He also urged the Centre to withdraw its notification banning cattle sale in livestock markets for slaughter and religious sacrifices. The government should also announce support price to ensure that the farmers get 50% profit, on the lines of recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission.

KPRS general secretary Yadav Shetty said that the suicide of farmers being unable to repay the loans and failing to get price for their farm produce has continued during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “In the last three years, 12,000 farmers have committed suicide in the country. The farmers were neck-deep in loans because of the rising cost of farm labour and drought like situation. The situation was so sensitive that if the government did not intervene, farmers could commit suicide in the future,” he said.

“When the government can waive the loans borrowed by rich and influential persons, why can’t they waive the loans of the farmers, who are considered as the backbone of the country?” he asked.