Hundreds of farmers alleged duping by a cotton trader having ‘protection’ of State Government and RSS. The trader allegedly owes Rs 8 crore to farmers towards sale of 20000 quintals of cotton.
Nagpur: In a development that could spark widespread repercussions the farmers of Selu Tehsil in Wardha District have threatened self-immolation at none other place than in front of RSS Headquarters in Nagpur. The In-charge of Bharatiya Kisan Khet Majdoor Congress Avinash Kakde said that hundreds of farmers would stage the agitation at Mahal-based RSS Headquarters on Sunday (February 28) to highlight some pressing issues.
Elaborating the reason for the ‘fiery’ agitation, Kakde alleged that the unscrupulous cotton traders are duping the farmers and the traders are being protected by the Government and the RSS. “During the 2014-15 period, hundreds of farmers from my area sold 20000 quintals of cotton to a trader named Sunil Talatule who is also the Director of Shrikrishna Ginning and Pressing. However, this trader has not paid the money of farmers till to date. Talatule owes around Rs 8 crore to 450 farmers,” stated Kakde.
Ironically, the cotton farmers used to sell their produce to Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC). But on the insistence of one of the members of the APMC, the farmers sold their cotton to Sunil Talatule. However, Talatule started defaulting on the payments of the farmers. An offence has been registered against Talatule with Selu Police Station but for reasons better known to police, he has not been arrested so far, lamented Kakde.
The leader of farmers further alleged that Talatule ‘boasts’ of his connections with RSS chief and top leaders of Government and hence refusing to pay the farmers their money. “We have met the Chief Minister, RSS chief and top BJP leader and submitted a memorandum in this regard. But no action is being initiated against the trader as yet. Therefore, the farmers have decided to take out a morcha from Chitar Oli at 12 noon on Sunday and stage a ‘fiery’ agitation in front of RSS Headquarters,” declared Kakde.
