Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers of Terai region block NH against farm laws

Rudrapur: The farmers of the Terai belt of Uttarakhand, which is also known as the rice bowl of the state, protested against the Centre’s contentious agricultural laws on Thursday. The farmers under the banner of Terai Kisan Sabha (TKS) blocked the national highway, adjacent to the city's grain market. The call for the nationwide “chakka jam” from 12 pm to 4 pm was given by the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC). The protesting farmers owing allegiance to TKS and the Kisan wing of the Congress party blocked NH-74 near the grain market. Terming the laws as "black laws," the agitated farmers slammed the central government and expressed fear that these legislations would “destroy the farming community and would only benefit big corporate houses.” TKS president Tejinder Singh Virk told TOI, "The new laws will dismantle the minimum support price (MSP) system and the farmers will be manipulated by the corporate houses. The farmers will become labourers in their own lands as the laws aim to privatise the agricultural sector." Kisan Congress state secretary Ganesh Upadhyay added, "These laws are going to badly affect the prices of crops across the country which will eventually lead to financial chaos.” The protesting farmers later conducted a march in Rudrapur’s main market shouting slogans against the Centre. The three farm laws — the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 — were enacted recently.

The Times of India

2020-11-06

Dehradun