KOTTAYAM: The indefinite hunger strike by Member of Parliament from Kottayam Jose K Mani entered the second day on Tuesday. Mani, who is the General Secretary of Kerala Congress (M), a constituent of the Congress-led UDF Government in the state, is on strike demanding immediate action by the Centre to redress the problems faced by the rubber farmers. The price of rubber has slumped to below Rs 100 per kg from Rs 240 per kg in 2012. The economy of central Kerala, which includes the districts of Idukki, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta, is much dependent on the price of rubber.
The strike gains significance with the assembly elections round the corner as the central Kerala has been the traditional stronghold of the Kerala Congress party. Former finance minister and chairman of Kerala Congress K M Mani, who had arrived at the venue at Thirunakkara Maidan where his son is on strike, had slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Centre for neglecting the rubber farmers in the state. In a letter to the Prime Minister, dated January 11, Jose K Mani had requested him to release Rs 500 crore from the price stabilisation fund to cover the subsidy element for ensuring a minimum support price of Rs 200 per kg.
He had also requested a ban on import of natural rubber till the domestic prices recovered. The other demands include the reconstitution of the Rubber Board in full strength with key functionaries like Chairman, Secretary and Production Commissioner put in place with immediate effect, putting in place a lasting mechanism to ensure minimum support prices for agricultural crops which are prone to seasonal fluctuations and declaring a moratorium on the recovery of bank loans taken by farmers.
