Sambalpur (Odisha):, The Paschim Odisha Krushak Sangathan Samanwaya Samiti (POKSSS), an umbrella body of various farmer organisations, has announced that it would mobilise farmers to opt for NOTA in the upcoming elections.
The POKSSS convener, Lingaraj, made the announcement on Saturday. According to sources more than 50 lakh farmers in Western Odisha are associated with the organisation. “The leaders and the activists of POKSSS have been asked to opt for NOTA (none of the above). They would also campaign and mobilise the farmers to opt for NOTA, instead of voting for the Congress, the BJD and the BJP,” POKSSS Convener Lingaraj told reporters. The KALIA and the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi schemes are clever tactics to evade the major demands of the farmers such as complete waiver of loan, implementation of Swaminathan Commission recommendations and bonus for the agricultural produces at the state level, he said. Both the BJP and BJD have betrayed the farmers, he alleged. The POKSSS also slammed the Congress. “The Swaminathan Commission was formed in 2004 when there was Congress-led UPA government at the Centre. The report of the commission was submitted in 2006. (PTI)
