Former India Army Chief of Staff V. K Singh  has hinted that he would join a sugarcane growers’ gherao of parliament on Dec 4.
“I am endorsing a call which is in the interest of farmers,” Singh said at a press conference in the capital.
Singh, who was accompanied by Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan (RKMS) convenor V.M. Singh, released a letter they had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh rejecting the Rangarajan Committee report on freeing the sugar sector.
“We have written a letter to the prime minister about this issue. We believe there is enough scope for a revision,” he said.
“In case the report is not rejected, canegrowers of northern states would gherao parliament on Dec 4 as a protest against the said report,” the letter said.
“I am endorsing a call which is in the interest of farmers,” he said when asked if he supported the call for the gherao of parliament.
Asked if he would participate, the former army chief said: “we will cross the bridge when we reach there. Whether that situation will come or not, we will see. I am quite sure the Prime Minister is competent enough to relook at the report.”
According to Singh, the committee’s recommendation on doing away with State Advisory Price (SAP) and cane reservation area will adversely affect the farmers of northern states.
After he retired from the army in May this year, Singh has participated in a number of agitations conducted by different groups including Baba Ramdev, Anna Hazare and farmers in Maharashtra.