Why Farmer Suicides can't be ignored anymore?

With Indian Media's misplaced reporting priorities and bull run after the TRPs, We have chosen to ignore the people who feed us. THE INDIAN FARMER

I and many others may not be experts about this topic. But being on Social Media you stumble upon so many stories and have an opinion on almost anything from Apple`s iphone 6 to Donald Trump, even though you know very little about the whole story. In all this overload of stupid, crappy, shitty information we miss out on something which is extremely important and a huge crisis.

On this lazy afternoon, I came across the story of Nana Patekar giving out cheques to the widows of the farmers who committed suicides.  The message was circulated on Social Media with a claim "Don`t commit suicide call me, Ill help you". I have to confess at this point of time, had this been someone else I would have chose to ignore it. Nana Patekar, a veteran actor and an honest man saying this was extremely heart warming. This was such a powerful message that it opened the eyes on a topic which was looming for ten years. This was our "Alyan Kurdi Moment".

Digging bit deeper, Nana Patekar has not only asked people to donate money but to spend a day or two with the villagers and understand their problems. As it is rightly said, Philanthropy  in India is not signing cheques but it is much more than that. It is an emotional help rather financial one.

Tacking the problem on its face, farmers have committed suicide due to various reasons. The primary reason being the drought like situation. Low pricing of grains, loans & debts, gambling issues are other reasons. An 11 billion dollar irrigation scam was truly a setback for the farmers and production of sugar canes, which has caused low fertile lands, these being the political obstacles. Coming to the last but the most important point, Relief packages not reaching the farmers.

Here`s what we can do,we can directly send money to the following bank details. 

Current Account Number: 35226127148

IFSC Code No: SBIN 0006319

Swift Code No: SBININBB238

Now that we have money, and a man like Nana Patekar, my wishes with him and the whole team. 

Beef Ban and a hyper-reactive Social Media

2nd March, Maharashtra has adopted Beef Ban Law in the state. The law which social media made a hullabaloo of already exists in multiple states and has similar punishments i.e. 6 months to 5 years and Rs 40,000. Here is the list.

What fueled the anger?
Maharashtra CM tweeted thanking the president for his acquiescence to the beef law.

Thanks a lot Hon President Sir for the assent on Maharashtra Animal Preservation Bill. Our dream of ban on cow slaughter becomes a reality now.

— Devendra Fadnavis

Loads for Facebookers and Twitteratti had taken a negative stance on the issue. Most of the people were of the opinion that they would miss eating beef (As if they were eating it every Wednesday and they would starve to death if they don’t have it).

To ban or not to ban is a debatable issue. What amuses me is the way social media take a simple issue and makes it more complicated


Holy Cow

The law against Beef Ban has more to do with Cow is holy to Hindus especially to the Brahmins. Now it is an open secret that BJP is a Pro-Brahmin Party. In India, there is belief that a cow has 33 Crore gods in her stomach. Here`s the bitter truth, there are several "malnourished" cows left to die on street in small towns and villages across Maharashtra.



Rape and Beef?

Beef Ban and Rape? From a logical point of view, it has no connection. Social Media connected that it is safer being a cow than a woman in India and that the punishment for rape or sexual assault is less than that of Beef Ban. All I can say is that it is completely misinformed and irrelevant. The law states slaughter and sale of beef is an offense and there is not mention of consumption of beef. After reading the newly amended Anti Rape and sexual harassment law, people would zip their lips.



And the constitution says…

Prohibition on cow slaughter is a Directive Principles of State Policy contained in Article 48 of the Constitution. It reads, “The State shall endeavor to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and shall, in particular, take steps for preserving and improving the breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter of cows and calves and other mulch and draught cattle”. Any attempt to make it a communal angle is not sustainable.

This is an exact citation of the Constitution. Beef Ban or any other animal slaughter is a directive principle in the constitution itself.

I think as Facebookers or Twitterattis, we need to perform better study and research before commenting.