Farmers Movement Archive

Congress workers hold demonstration against three farm bills in Pilibhit

Pilibhit: Scores of workers of the Pilibhit district’s Congress committee held demonstrations on the collectorate campus on Saturday to protest against the three farm bills.The protesters handed over a 15-point memorandum of demands to the SDM of Pilibhit sadar circle, Avinash Chandra Maury. The memorandum was addressed to the governor.The district president of Congress, Harpreet Singh Chabba said he was stunned at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence amid countrywide resentment by farmers against the bills.“Keeping aside the federal structure of the country, the Prime Minister did not even discuss the issue with several chief ministers, given that agriculture falls under the purview of state government under the 7 Schedule of Indian Constitution,” he said.“By excluding the provisions of procuring agricultural produce out of the APMCs ambit, the Union government has jeopardized the interests of marginal and small farmers, since they would directly be subjected to exploitation by middlemen and private traders without paying any heed to the Minimum Support Price,” Chabba alleged.He said the elimination of APMC system will block the means of sustenance for lakhs of labourers, transporters and petty licensed traders of fruit and vegetables.“Also, it will chock the state government’s important source of revenue raised in the form of APMC charges. This, in turn, will adversely affect the infrastructural development of rural areas, which is at present met by the fund generated through the APMC charges,” he added.

The Times of India

2020-11-22

Bareilly