Farmers Movement Archive

Haryana Congress holds statewide protest against farm bills

The Haryana Congress held protests across the state on Monday against the Parliament’s nod to the contentious farm bills, which the party described as “black laws”. State Congress chief Kumari Selja led the protest in Jind, while former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda addressed the protesters in Sonepat. Senior leaders Ajay Singh Yadav and Kuldeep Bishnoi joined the protest in Rewari and Hisar districts, respectively. The party workers, who staged a protest at the district headquarters, submitted a memorandum addressed to the President through deputy commissioners. While addressing mediapersons, Hooda said the Congress has sought a special session of the Haryana assembly to discuss the “impact and ramifications” of the farm bills. He said the party will also move a resolution against these bills. He said they will not tolerate attack on the farmers’ rights. “These three ‘black laws’ are a direct attack on the MSP and mandi system which have been built over the last 70 years. The government made a law to encourage purchases outside the market but there has been no reference to the protection under MSP,” he added.Reacting over the ruling party’s allegations that these bills were part of Congress manifesto, Hooda said the BJP was spreading lies about the party manifesto and the recommendations of a committee headed by him.Hooda said crops like paddy, millet, cotton, moong and maize are being sold at a much lower rate than MSP and farmers are forced to sell these at minimal rates.“Everyone knows that the aim of open market is to get rid of MSP. If the farmer could get a good rate in the open market, then there is no need to arrange MSP in the country,” he said. Addressing the protesters in Jind, the party’s state unit chief Kumari Selja said the “anti-farmer” move of the Union government will “destroy the peasants”. “BJP is pro-capitalists, it does not understand the pain of the poor and the farmers. They hurriedly pushed through these bills. They even did not care to listen to the suggestion of the opposition members that bills should be referred to the select committee, which could have then taken a view of farmers, farm-labourers, arhitiyas (commission agents),” Selja said. Hitting out at the BJP, Selja said, “They accuse the Congress and opposition parties of misleading the farmers whereas the entire country can see the pain of farmers”. She alleged that under the present system, “big companies will exploit the farmers. Also, in case of any dispute, can ordinary farmers take on big corporates, how will a small farmer fight the legal battle?”. Selja said the Congress-led government in neighbouring Punjab raised its voice against these bills but the BJP-JJP coalition in Haryana is silent. “The state government has adopted silence. They are not raising voice in favour of farmers,” she said. “Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar should have raised the voice of farmers before the prime minister but he does not have the courage to do so. Deputy chief minister (Dushyant Chautala), who used to do politics in farmers’ name, too is not raising voice because hanging on to power is more dear to him now,” she alleged. In Karnal, party workers led by local leaders sat on a dharna outside the mini-secretariat. The protesters demanded withdrawal of the bills and submitted a memorandum to deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav. In Kurukshetra, party leader Ashok Arora said the new laws will affect farmers and labourers. He said the Congress will continue its agitation till the government withdraws these bills. In Ambala, protesters led by Congress MLAs Varun Chaudhary and Shelley Chaudhary, Haryana Congress treasurer Rohit Jain staged a demonstration near the DC office. Congress MLA Varun Chaudhary termed the bills a move to ruin the lives of farmers, who are already facing hardships. Through the memorandum, he said, the party sought the President’s intervention in the matter and asked him not to sign the bills. Similar protests were observed by Congress workers near the mini secretariat in Yamunanagar. WITH AGENCY INPUTS

Hindustan Times

21-09-2020

City