Farmers Movement Archive

Opposition in Bihar raises pitch against farm bills

PATNA: Protests against the farm-related bills recently passed in the Rajya Sabha seems to be gaining momentum in poll-bound Bihar with opposition parties throwing their weight behind the Bharat Bandh called by farmers groups on September 25. The opposition parties are not only criticizing the NDA government at the Centre for tabling these bills and getting them passed in haste but have also called for their own protests besides supporting the nationwide farmers' agitation. Leader of opposition in the state assembly, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav has demanded a roll back of the bills failing which his party will hit the roads. “Farmers are on the road and those in the government are sitting in air-conditioned rooms. We have always struggled for the poor, for labourers, farmers and the unemployed. Now we cannot sit and watch you do whatever you want. We will stand with farmers and boost their morale,” Tejashwi said. The state units of the three Left parties are also preparing to join the protest on September 25 in Bihar, an agrarian state. CPI (ML) state spokesperson Kumar Parvez said, “We had demanded loan waivers for farmers and a strict Act on minimum support price, but instead, they have passed those bills which will destroy farmers and will only benefit corporate giants.” CPM state secretary Awadhesh Kumar said it will not merely be moral support for the agitation, but his party members will be actively participating in the protests across the state. “Farmers have been betrayed,” said Awadhesh. CPI secretary Ram Naresh Pandey said his party members will be supporting farmers against the bills. The Upendra Kushwaha led RLSP has also announced it will be protesting on Friday to support the farmers. RLSP state spokesperson Fazal Imam Mallick said, “ During its formation, our party had raised the slogan of ‘Jai Kisan-Jai Naujawan’ and we will always stand for the farmers.” Congress plans protests against farm Bills: The state Congress has planned a series of events against farm-related bills recently passed by the Centre. Senior party leader Randeep Singh Surjewala will be in Patna on Thursday and address the media against these bills. National Student Union of India, a student wing of Congress has called for a ‘Kisan Adhikar March’ from Sadaqat Ashram up to the chief minister’s residence on Thursday. Youth wing of the party is already protesting across the state and on Monday. They burnt effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Nitish Kumar. Party’s state spokesperson Rajesh Rathore said, “We are against these draconian bills which have been passed to harass farmers and benefit few giant corporates.” The party has planned for another protest at its headquarters on September 28 and will observe Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary on October 2 as Kisan Mazdoor Diwas.

The Times of India

2020-09-24

Patna