Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers take to internet to clarify doubts on agriculture-laws

BATHINDA: The farmer organisations foraying into the virtual world, held a webinar on Thursday to pinpoint the fault lines in the central agri laws and why such extensive opposition to these laws is necessary. The farm leaders faced a volley of questions and a panel of farmers answered all the questions. While justifying its core demand — that the law should be repealed — the panel of farmers said the laws are harmful not only to farmers but to many sections of the society and the financial health of the states. The farmers reiterated that as the central government has gone beyond its jurisdiction in enacting these laws — as the agriculture is state subject. The farmers also said they were reluctant to approach the court saying that the matter could drag on for long and the farmers fear that in only two years, the corporate houses may usurp lands of the farmers through contract farming. Senior farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal from BKU (Rajewal), Jagjit Singh Dallewal from BKU (Sidhupur), Darshan Pal from Krantikari Kisan Union, Prem Singh Bhangu from Kul Hind Kisan Federation, Rajinder Singh Deep Singh Wala from Kirti Kisan Union, Abhimanyu Kohad from Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh and Manjit Singh Rai from BKU (Doaba) answered queries from a wide range of audience. Rajewal said, “Nearly a year ago, in the second stint of Narendra Modi government, the government started showing its intentions of pushing agriculture towards corporatisation. We started collecting documents to know the intentions of the government and our concerns proved right when the Union government came up with ordinances on June 5, during the Covid-19 emergency, and went ahead in getting the bills passed in both the houses of parliament. The farm groups from Punjab started opposing these laws and got support from farmers from many other states, turning this into a pan-India protest. We held meetings with central government, which though agreed to making certain amendments, but not to repeal the laws and started defaming farm groups for not taking a flexible approach.” The farm leaders made it clear that they don’t want just amendments or fractured assurance on MSP, but repeal of laws and written guarantee with legal binding on MSP with C2+ 50% profit with state procurement. They asked diaspora to register their protests at Indian embassies on December 26-27 and write to elected representatives to put pressure on Indian government to repeal laws.

The Times of India

2020-12-25

Amritsar