Palakkad: Protesting against the state government’s continued apathy toward the plight of paddy farmers, the Kuzhalmannam Block Padashekara Samithi (polder councils) Coordination Committee has declared that Chingam 1 will be observed as 'Betrayal Day' this year.

At a meeting, the committee pointed out that despite several months having passed since the paddy procurement process, over 25,000 paddy farmers in the district are yet to receive payment. Similarly,  disbursal of compensations under the climate-based crop insurance scheme has been due since 2022.

The farmers’ long-standing demand to increase the support price for paddy has also been repeatedly ignored by the government. It is in this context that the committee decided to observe Chingam 1, a traditionally auspicious day, as a Betrayal Day

As part of the protest, farmers will take out a march to the office of the Assistant Director of Agriculture from Kulavan Mukku at 10 AM on Chingam 1.

The protest meeting was inaugurated by Coordination Committee Vice-Chairman P R Karunakaran, while Vice-Chairman I C Bose presided over the session. General Convenor M C Muraleedharan, Coordinator K C Ashokan, Sajeesh Kuthanoor, Reghu Mathoor, P V Suresh Kumar, K Appu, and K Unnikrishnan were among those who addressed the gathering.

The meeting also announced the Samithi’s decision to boycott the meetings to be convened by the Agriculture Department to organise programmes in connection with the Farmers’ Day.