Farmers Movement Archive

Farm stir: Anti-social forces trying to thwart resolution, says RSS

Bengaluru: The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the Centre’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Friday said “anti-national and anti-social forces” were trying to thwart efforts to resolve the standoff between the government and protesting farm unions over the three new farm laws. The RSS’s annual report was released in Bengaluru during a three-day convention of the Akhil Bharatiya Prathinidhi Sabha (ABPS), its highest decision making body of the RSS, that started on Friday.“The problem becomes more serious when anti-national and anti-social forces try to thwart the ongoing efforts towards a solution [farmers’ protest]. The leadership of the present agitation should not allow such a situation to arise,” the RSS said in the report.Thousands of farmers have been camping at Delhi’s borders since November last year, seeking a repeal of the new farm laws, which they say will erode their bargaining power, weaken a system of assured prices, and leave them vulnerable to exploitation by big agri businesses. The government has maintained that the laws aim to ease restrictions on farm trade by setting up free markets, allow traders to stockpile large stocks of food for future sales and lay down a framework for contract farming.In its report, the RSS said that prolonged agitations were counterproductive for all.“It is not in anyone’s interest for any kind of agitation to be prolonged for a long time. Discussions are a must, but with a view to finding a solution. It is possible that not all issues are agreed upon, but it is essential that some agreements must be reached upon,” the report said.It stated that people cannot be given the right to create instability in the country. “In a democracy, all have the freedom of expressing their views but none can be given the right to create disturbance and instability in the country.”

Hindustan Times

19-03-2021

India