Farmers Movement Archive

Farmers in US Nagar hold stir against contentious farm bills

Rudrapur: Hundreds of farmers from across Udham Singh Nagar district in Uttarakhand held protests as part of a nationwide strike on Friday against the contentious farm bills recently passed by the Parliament. Protesting farmers blocked the highways at the district headquarters in Rudrapur. Police personnel in adequate strength were deployed in the city to ensure law and order. The 'Bharat bandh' called by farmers' organisations did not have much effect on the market. It disrupted the city traffic, though. The district unit of All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) had earlier announced a protest at the district magistrate’s office on September 25 against the three bills — Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill. The farmers’ body had also called for a 'Bharat Bandh'. AIKSCC's national member Tejender Singh Virk said, "These legislations are black laws and are a part of conspiracy against the country's farmers. The Central government through these three laws aims to mortgage the farmers, farm labourers and their livelihoods to the hands of corporates. If the laws are implemented, it will badly affect the prices of crops produced in the country and lead to financial chaos." Farmer Thakur Jagdish Singh said, "These bills will gradually dismantle the minimum support price [MSP] system which ensures the farmers a safe price of their crops. The farmers will become labourers in their own lands as the bill aims to privatise the agriculture sector." On Friday, roads converging at Deendayal Chowk, Agrasen Chowk, Parshuram Chowk and Kashipur bypass were blocked. Later, the farmers handed a memorandum, addressed to the PM, to the district magistrate requesting the Centre to take back the bills.

The Times of India

2020-09-26

Dehradun