top of page

By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

CPFR seeks PM’s intervention

To lift anti-farmer curbs on MSP cotton procurement rules Mumbai : The Council for Protection of Farmers Rights-Kisan Bharti has demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to direct the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) to rollback its restrictive cotton procurement rules hitting farmers in the state.   In an appeal to the PM, CPFR-Kisan Bharti President Barr. Vinod Tiwari said that the CCI’s recent move – to cap cotton procurement at only 7 quintals/acre, almost half of the earlier...

CPFR seeks PM’s intervention

To lift anti-farmer curbs on MSP cotton procurement rules Mumbai : The Council for Protection of Farmers Rights-Kisan Bharti has demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to direct the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) to rollback its restrictive cotton procurement rules hitting farmers in the state.   In an appeal to the PM, CPFR-Kisan Bharti President Barr. Vinod Tiwari said that the CCI’s recent move – to cap cotton procurement at only 7 quintals/acre, almost half of the earlier limit of 13 quintals/acre – has heightened the agony among lakhs of cotton farmers in Maharashtra and adjoining Telangana.   “This bizarre slash in the limit, imposed after yield surveys conducted this Kharif season, has driven farmers to sell nearly 80 percent of the produce to private traders at very low prices. This has added to the already severe distress among farmlands,” Tiwari told  ‘ The Perfect Voice’ .   In view of the cutbacks, farmers have no options but to dispose of their cotton stocks at around Rs 6500/quintal or lower, almost 25 pc below the MSP of Rs 8110/quintal.   The worst-affected are those tillers who produce more than 5 quintas/acre who cannot sell their full yield to CCI owing to the restrictions, and hence offload it to any private buyers at extremely low rates and much below the MSP.   “Worsening the crisis is the CCI’s rigid moisture-content requirements of 8-12 pc which is difficult to maintain. In view of the fog, intermittent rains, drop in winter temperatures, natural moisture levels in the cotton remains high. Despite drying it in the open for days, farmers report moisture levels at 20 pc or higher, and their stocks are rejected outright at CCI procurement centres,” explained Tiwari.   Citing examples, the CPFR-Kisan Bharti said in Yavatmal district alone, 236,752 farmers opted for cotton cultivation across 825,932 acres, yielding around 3.3 million quintals.   However, of this huge quantity, the CCI has procured barley 7,921 quintals and the private traders lapped up some 115,000 quintals at low rates – exposing the gaps between government promises vis-à-vis ground realities.   Farmers rued that the CCI’s impossible regulations are directly pushing them into the trap of private traders, who bargain hard to get the cotton stocks at cheap rates.   The CPFR-Kisan Bharti said that of the 27 procurement centres announced by CCI, barely a handful are operating, leading to long queues, increased transportation costs and logistical chaos for the already harassed farmers.   “Our demand is to increase the procurement to at least 12 quintals/acre, relax the moisture content limits to 22 pc owing to the natural hazards and open more procurement centres to quicken the process,” said Tiwari.   Since the CCI is the nodal agency for MSP procurement, it is expected to protect the farmers’ interest rather than penalizing them for things beyond their control, hence the PM must immediately direct the CCI to do the needful help the farmers before they resort to extreme measures, he urged.

A Spiritual Sojourn

ree

Each year, as monsoon clouds gather over Maharashtra, lakhs of devotees set out on foot, singing and swaying in rhythm, bound for the temple town of Pandharpur. Their destination: a glimpse of Lord Vitthal on Ashadhi Ekadashi—a day that marks not only the peak of the Warkari pilgrimage but the beginning of Chaturmas, a four-month spiritual retreat in the Hindu calendar. Also known as Devshayani or Maha Ekadashi, the festival is a vibrant expression of the Warkari Sampradaya’s core values: devotion over ritual, unity over hierarchy, and simplicity over splendour.


Warkaris observe a strict fast, sing abhangs and hymns, and journey on foot to Pandharpur in acts of collective devotion and surrender. The pilgrimage and the fast are believed to purify the soul and pave the path to moksha, or liberation. Weddings and other auspicious events are paused during this period, echoing the belief that the divine, too, is in retreat. In an age marked by haste and distraction, Ashadhi offers a moment of unity, simplicity, and introspection.


The day falls on Shukla Paksha in the Ashadha month. This auspicious occasion holds profound religious and spiritual significance for devotees. A legend underpins the observance of Ashadhi Ekadashi. Mandata, a righteous king from the Raghuwanshi dynasty, once faced a crippling drought in his realm. Seeking divine counsel, he turned to the sage Angiras, who advised him to observe Ekadashi in devotion to Lord Vishnu. The king complied, and the heavens soon opened. Rain returned, and the parched land was revived. This tale gave rise to the tradition of Shayani Ekadashi


The Ashadhi Ekadashi is a timeless march of faith. It falls during the same time which invite the monsoon season in the country. On this day the devotees keep fast the whole day and they go on long walk (Payi Dindi) in huge processions to Pandharpur. It is a model of sustainable living where all warkaris walk long distances without harming the environment, carry minimal belongings, and share community meals. It demonstrates the ideology of equality and inclusiveness in religion and society which inculcate the values of devotion, simplicity, brotherhood and discipline. It also promotes and creates awareness of selfless service, community harmony and inner purity. This ritual helps to cultivate a compassionate, ethical life rooted in values. The fast is renews our spiritual path and it is a very apt and perfect thesis and syntheses of Marathi culture.


The Warkari tradition draws deeply from the teachings of Bhakti saints such as Dnyaneshwar, Tukaram, Namdev and Eknath - spiritual reformers who championed heartfelt devotion over ritual formalism. Their verses, sung as abhangs and bhajans, echo through the Wari pilgrimage, which begins in Alandi and Dehu and culminates at Pandharpur on Guru Purnima.


Devotees refer to Lord Vitthal as Mauli (mother), reflecting a bond of deep affection and surrender. Clad in traditional dhotis and kurtas, Warkaris walk, sing and dance their way to Pandharpur in a moving spectacle of colour and faith. Ashadhi Ekadashi, which marks the onset of Lord Vishnu’s divine slumber, is also observed at home with rituals, prayers, and the placement of idols, invoking harmony and blessings. The day unites people across castes, classes and geographies in a vibrant affirmation of devotion.


Ashadhi Ekadashi is a spiritual and cultural pause in a fast-paced world. It is a day of fasting, devotion and introspection. Marked by holy dips in the Chandrabhaga river, chanting and prayers to Lord Vitthal and Rukmini, it holds deep significance for the Warkari sect. But well beyond religious ritual, what it embodies in a deeper sense is surrender, simplicity and spiritual discipline. In an age of distraction and disconnection, its timeless message of unity, devotion and inner peace offers us a much-needed anchor.


(The writer is an assistant professor of English literature. Views personal)

Comments

bottom of page