'Dark Diwali' for debt-ridden farmers of Hadoti region

KOTA: Diwali, which is a ceremony of rejoicing, reflection and an opportunity to reach out to the less fortunate, is a festival of gloom for the Hadoti farmers."Festivity is a time when the heart rejoices, enjoyment is in the air, with friends and relatives its bonding time. This year I am morose, even the children seeing the despair are not asking for crackers or new clothes," said Satya Narain, prant pramukh, Kissanganj village Baran district."The moot question is will the farmers take loans to celebrate Diwali," said Dasrath Kumar, farmer from Kesoraipatan (Bundi), general secretary, Hadoti Kissan Union (HKU). "It's just another day for us," he added."Who will give farmers loans? We are deeply in debt, banks will not give any more loans as farmer today has no loan repayment credibility left. Private sahukars or lenders are our hope and then they too are giving loans to a few farmers who are on dependable terms with them," said Kulwant Singh, sarpanch Gudli panchayat, Kesoraipatan, Kota."When you look around all you see is sorrow, hopelessness at least in Baran district. There is no humanity or empathy left. Farmer deaths are not being reported any more. According to my knowledge, 25 to 30 farmers had committed suicide in Baran district this year when soybean and urad dal crops failed, though the official records state the numbers at 7 to 8 farmers," said Satya Narain."The discrepancy is because family members left behind feel the official empathy and do not want to disclose deaths to the police. There will be unnecessary issues like post-mortem and harassment, agony of unnecessary questions but kya milega, " he said."Farmers are not able to pay even the interest on past loans taken. Since last Diwali three crops have failed, in October-November (2014), soybean, April-May (2015), wheat, due to hail and excessive rains and October (2015), soybean, mustard, urad dal and coriander. Compensation paid by the government is not at par with the loss. So more loans were taken," said Dasrath Kumar.Kushi and kissan forget it, "Today we are just existing from crop to crop, Diwali is just another day," said Ram Gopal Meena, ex-sarpanch and secretary, Hadoti Kissan Union (HKU).