Dear Telugu Organizations based outside of India (especially US),
The farming crisis had been going on, in India, for many decades now. Unfortunately the crisis is only discussed when there is a suicide that the media covers or when NCRB publishes the suicide data for a given year.
We (NRIs) sometimes sympathize, sometimes donate a few bucks but mostly accepted the farmer suicides and the crisis as a harsh reality.
And its not just about the farmers who die, it's also about those who are left behind, also about other farmers who are living a life no less miserable than those who died. It's high time we all take collective responsibility to do something.
So what can the organizations do?
(I can't speak for other organizations) The Telugu organizations have tremendous influence, not just among the Indian Community in the US, but also back in India.
Their events are well attended with thousands of people participating in every single one of them.
Their events get lot of media coverage
They have great connections with the political leadership
They have tremendous support among the Indian community
All these are very good reasons why if the organizations can step up and stand up and take an oath to make the year 2017, the year of Zero Farmer Suicides, it will make a big statement. And no, this is not just making a statement but also doing the following in order to get there, which again is only possible with your involvement.
1. Let farmers be part of the cultural and traditional celebrations
2. Organize events to create more awareness about the farmers, their work and their issues
3. Along with celebrity guests, please also invite farmers to share their views, opinions and suggestions
4. Please refrain from felicitating, garlanding MLA's, MP's, instead let's hold them responsible and accountable. The access to such officials back in India is close to impossible and by keeping them on a high pedestal we are only making them more in accessible.
5. Obviously helping the farmers and their communities to implement solutions towards sustainable farming.
Written by Suresh, opinions expressed in this article are of Author’s, not Greatandhra’s. Author is an activist and has been working on farmers issues from several years. He can be contacted at [email protected]
