Page:Sharad Joshi - Leading Farmers to the Centre Stage.pdf/230

 While other farmers’ leaders might have thought differently, Joshi personally was not against paying the higher tariff for Power if that was economically justifiable. He never wanted Government to suffer loss in providing any utility. His only point was that whatever be the actual cost, you do charge; but include that actual cost while considering the cost incurred by the farmer in growing his crop. Therefore, Joshi was particularly happy with this clause and thought that it would be a good practice for the entire nation. Earlier, while fixing the cost of farm produce, government used to consider absurdly low figures and that way the cost of production would turn out to be far less than what it actually was. In Maharashtra, for instance, the cost of electricity considered by the government was just Rs. 78 per hectare whereas the actual cost was as high as Rs. 153 per hectare. This was true for all inputs used by the farmers. This naturally was the main reason for the inadequate price paid to the farmer for his produce. When Punjab government agreed to work out the proper cost of the farmers, Joshi felt it was a step in the right direction and the same should happen in all States and with relation to all the inputs used by farmer. It was a major victory for the farmers and they decided to lift the gherao immediately. A grand victory rally, attended by large cheering crowds of satisfied farmers, was held on 18 March at Parade Ground. For those who were present during those six days it was an unforgettable experience. Their memories shed light on different angles of that agitation which don’t generally get reflected in more formal reports. One of the agitating farmers from Maharashtra, Bhaskarrao Borawake said, ‘The issue of Khalistan was boiling in those days. But in this agitation it became amply clear how false this so-called divide between Hindus and Sikhs is. One more thing struck me. Sharad Joshi was never ingratiating to the Sikh farmers. Many of those Joshi in Punjab

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