Farmers Movement Archive

Modi allowing capitalists to enslave common man, farmers: Thorat

Nagpur: State Congress president and revenue minister Balasaheb Thorat on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of allowing capitalists to enslave the common man and farmers. He was speaking at the party’s ‘Speak up for Kisan Adhikar’ (farmers’ rights) programme in Nagpur. Thousands of Congress workers and farmers took out a tractor rally to protest against the Centre’s farm laws and hike in fuel prices. They held demonstrations outside the rear gate of Raj Bhavan, the official residence of Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, who is in Nagpur since the last couple of days. The protest was to be held in Mumbai, but the venue was changed to coincide with Koshyari’s visit to Nagpur from January 12 to 17. Vehicular traffic was affected as police closed several roads connecting busy areas like Sadar and Civil Lines, including Old Katol Road Chowk, Japanese Garden Square and Chhaoni road, from early morning. A huge posse of policemen was also deployed to maintain law and order at the protest site. The various warring factions within the city Congress also joined the protest extending their support to the agitating farmers and demanding repeal of the contentious farm laws. Thorat said the rally was part of the party’s plan to gherao governors across the country to extend its support to the agitating farmers. “We were supposed to organize the protest on January 15 but it was postponed due to the gram panchayat elections across the state,” he said, adding, “We urge the governor to inform the central government about the Congress party’s views regarding repeal of the three laws.” Citing examples, Thorat said the Maha Vikas Aghadi government had waived off farmers loans when it came to power in the state in 2019. He said the coronavirus outbreak and the resultant lockdown had hit the dairy sector hard and almost 10 lakh litres of milk was going unsold as the rates per litre was very low. However, the state government procured the milk through milk cooperative societies at Rs25 per litre and the stock was used to make milk powder. Thorat said the party is waiting for a signal from the party high command in New Delhi for intensifying their protest against the new farm laws. Congress is the only party in the country which worked for betterment of farmers, added Thorat. District guardian minister Nitin Raut lauded city Congress chief and MLA Vikas Thakre for organizing the rally within a short time. Thakre said the central government is against farmers and added that the new laws will favour two industrialists — Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, and Adani Group chief Gautam Adani. Raut claimed the pressure of the public agitation would be such that the government would finally be forced to withdraw the three laws. “The Congress will not relent till the Modi government withdraws the farm laws. These laws are meant not to help the farmers but to finish them off to pave the way for industrialists,” said woman and child welfare minister Yeshomati Thakur. Maharashtra ministers Vijay Wadettiwar, Sunil Kedar among others addressed the rally which was attended by thousands of Congress workers and activists.

The Times of India

2021-01-17

Nagpur