Farmers Movement Archive

Congress asks Nitish Kumar to quit NDA if can’t protect farmers’ ‘interest’

Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala has dared Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar to either ensure the guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) to farmers in the farm bills or quit the NDA if he cared for farmers and those engaged in the farm sector.“The Narendra Modi government had resorted to political dishonesty to cheat agriculturists and labourers in the name of farm reforms, which would ultimately enslave farmers to big corporates,” said Surjewala, while launching the Congress party’s people mobilisation programme against the passage of the three legislations by Parliament at the state Congress office in Patna.AICC in-charge for Bihar, Shaktisinh Gohil, and Chhattisgarh health minister TS Singhdev were also present on the occasion.Congress has launched a nationwide campaign against the passage of “anti-farmer and anti-poor” bills during the monsoon session of Parliament and to collect signatures of more than 2 crore people against the legislations.Surjewala said the system of MSP would be abolished once the mandi system and government’s procurement of produce is stopped as is mandated in the farm bills. Also Read: Marginalised in Grand Alliance in Bihar, Upendra Kushwaha’s RLSP preps to exitGohil said the drive to sensitise farmers and labourers about the alleged devastating effects of the three legislations would be intensified in the state.Ruling out any confusion or erosion of trust among the Grand Alliance (GA) partners, Gohil said the alliance was firm and would contest the assembly polls together.Also Read: Punjab Bandh today: Transport services suspended, markets to remain shut in LudhianaThe Congress has also extended support to the ‘Bharat Bandh’ call given by farmer organisations for Friday. Surjewala said that millions of party workers stand in solidarity with the farmers’ cause and will participate in their protests.

Hindustan Times

25-09-2020

India