Farmers Movement Archive

BJP holds rally in support of agri laws, Terai farmers stage protest

Rudrapur : With farmers from the Terai region reamining steadfast in their protest against the three contentious farm laws, the ruling BJP organised a meeting in Udham Singh Nagar district, Rudrapur, on Thursday to create awareness on the “benefits” of the laws. Union Minister for human resources and development Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank, who was the keynote speaker at the meeting, said the central government brought the laws with the aim to benefit the farmers, but the opposition has been misguiding them. “These laws are completely in favour of farmers and there are already positive results on the ground. Few farmer unions who are being misled by the opposition are protesting. The central government is trying to make them understand. We are willing to continue dialogue with genuine farm unions and are willing to find a solution with an open mind. If there are farmers protesting the laws, there are more farmers who have supported these laws,” said Nishank at the Food Corporation of India (FCI) warehouse premises at Kichha bypass. Presiding over the function, BJP’s state president Banshidhar Bhagat said, “While there is a protest against reforms, lakhs of farmers are also gathering to express support for the laws. The agitation going on at the Delhi border is sponsored by the opposition parties. It is the Narendra Modi government which followed the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission and revised the minimum support price (MSP) for various crops by adding 50 percent profit on the cost for the farmers.” During the meeting, scores of Sikh farmers holding black flags and placards marched towards the rally venue, but they were stopped by the police at Deendayal Chowk. The angry farmers claimed that the BJP is trying to mislead the people through their public meeting. They said they will not retreat until these farm laws are repealed. Meanwhile, the opposition Congress alleged that there were no farmers in BJP's rally and the party workers from Nainital and US Nagar were brought in to pose as farmers to demonstrate the strength in favour of farm laws.

The Times of India

2020-12-18

Dehradun