Farmers Movement Archive

Farm laws anti-farmer, says Punjabi university teachers’ body

PATIALA: After holding a detailed discussion on the new agriculture laws, the members of Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF) of the Punjabi University, Patiala on Thursday claimed that both text and context of the acts are vehemently against the interests of the farm sector and the farming community. DTF has been supporting the ongoing agitation of the farmers against the new farm acts. They said bills have been drafted in a clumsy language, which conceals much, while the entry of private corporate purchasers would result in a dual market system for farm produce that would gradually weaken the assured minimum support price (MSP) and government purchase system. “The private corporate players by acquiring monopolistic power will be in a position to dictate terms of trade against the farmers, especially small and marginal. The timing of legislation points towards a subtle connection with rising tensions in the neighbourhood, lobbying by the domestic corporate sector, pressure from surplus food grain producing countries and meeting requirements of the world trading system,” DTF convener Jaswinder Singh Brar said. Unfolding of the policy package according to the new acts would jeopardise the farm economy of Punjab with consequential impact on all economic sectors, activities and sections of society, the DTF convener said. Brar pointed out that it would also impact the twice-recharging of the state’s economy in a year by the MSP-based procurement by the Centre with a circulation of huge money as payment to farmers, labourers and others associated with the farm trade. “Judicial exclusion is the worst part of the bill as district magistrate has been notified as the highest appellate authority to adjudicate in case any disputes between producers and buyers involved in contract farming,” Brar said. The members further apprehend that any unintended weakening of a tried and tested system due to these acts could also have adverse impact on the national food security.

The Times of India

2020-10-09

Ludhiana