Dattatreya Hosabale, the General Secretary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), expressed concern over inflation and rising food prices on Saturday. However, he also said that the government’s actions shouldn’t hurt farmers.
While addressing the two-day conference organised by RSS-affiliate Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, and Agricultural Economics Research Centre, Mr Hosabale said: “The link between inflation and food prices needs to be pondered over. Prices of industrial products rise… but people feel food and clothes must come at lower prices. It is among basic needs and should be affordable.”
India’s inflation rate in May was 7.04 percent, which came down marginally to 7.01 percent on June.
The RSS leader also applauded governments, scientists, and farmers for the development of agriculture in the country over the past 75 years.
Mr Hosabale stressed that basic necessities like food should be affordable, however, the burden should not be passed on to the farmers. He also the need government cooperatives to play big role in this.
“The objective of agriculture is to produce sufficient nutritious food for all. Everyone must get nutritious food, so its prices must not increase. Otherwise some people will not get it,” he said.
The top RSS leader also noted concern about India’s rapid urbanisation, highlighting the fact that more than 52 percent of the population lives in cities.
“If India’s villages start disappearing, the civilisation and culture that we speak of with such great pride will be impacted. So we have to ensure people live in villages; we have to strengthen agriculture and allied industries,” Mr Hosabale said.
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