Pilibhit: Farmer leader and national convener of Rashtriya Kisan Majdoor Party, V M Singh, has been invited for the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC. The three-day programme is meant for special invitees from across the world.Hosted by members of the United States Congress at the Washington Hilton each year, the event, launched in 1953 and organised by a Christian group, is typically attended by some 3,500 guests, including international invitees from over 100 countries. Every US President since Dwight D. Eisenhower has participated in the event, which is actually a series of meetings, luncheons, and dinners with discussions on key global issues.Singh got an invitation from two American senators, John Boozman and Christopher Coons, to join the event, scheduled to begin on February 2. This is an occasion when the president of the US and Congressmen join other government officials, as well as diplomats and dignitaries from across the world at interactions aimed at building multilateral relationships. President Trump is expected to be in attendance at the prestigious event.“The two senators had met me twice in Delhi in 2016 and held comprehensive discussions regarding our work with farmers in UP, particularly sugarcane growers,” Singh told TOI.Singh has more than 700 acres of farmland around Delhi and Bhopal and has been a farmer leader for years. In 1993, he was elected as a Janata Dal MLA from Pilibhit. Singh had appealed to the Allahabad high court for introduction of government procurement of paddy crop in UP, after which the paddy procurement system was formulated in the state in 2000.The farmer leader had also filed PILs at the high court and Supreme Court for fair price system for sugarcane and timely payment of cane dues. As a result of these legal battles against sugar mills and the state government, the state advised price (SAP) system was introduced in UP.“Like Indian farmers, who have been suffering due to problems in the system, American farmers also have several problems they are trying to deal with. The difference is American agriculture has access to government subsidies and other support systems which are in better shape than here. These are among the issues I am supposed to talk about with other attendees at the event,” Singh added.“I hope the results of my visit will help bring farmers of other countries including the US closer with our own farmers,” he said.

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