Citizens’ Research Collective on SEZ

Mangalore, November 27, 2007: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is opposed to setting up Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in India at the cost of farmers, its leader and former Minister P.G.R. Sindhia has said. While there was a need to set up industries to address the problem of unemployment in the country, the move by the Centre to find a solution for it in SEZs, and acquiring fertile agriculture land and displacing farmers was wrong, he said.

Addressing the party workers’ convention, “Sahodarathvadedege bahujanara nadige” here on Monday, Mr. Sindhia, referring to the recent turn of events at Nandigram, said: “The problems faced by farmers in West Bengal is there for all to see. One cannot solve unemployment by displacing people from their livelihood. It will not be a surprise if SEZ issue swallows the Congress in next elections.”

Referring to some reports in The Hindu about continuing suicides by farmers, Mr. Sindhia said these suicides had not stopped despite various government announcements. “Farmers have ended lives in the very constituencies of people who announced loan waiver,” he said.

Source: The Hindu