Farmers Movement Archive

Uttarakhand BJP to go among farmers to explain ‘benefits’ of agri bills

Amid the ongoing protests by farmers and Opposition parties against the agriculture bills recently passed by the Parliament, Uttarakhand BJP will go among the farmers of the state through its Kisan Morcha to “explain its benefits”. The party also accused Congress of misleading the farmers.The decision was shared by party state president Bansidhar Bhagat in a virtual press conference at party headquarters in Dehradun on Saturday.“We will go among the farmers through our Kisan Morcha to explain them the three bills and make them aware of their benefits. The NDA government, under PM Narendra Modi, is the first to think about the welfare of the farmers and these bills are in regard to that only,” said Bhagat. He added that the party is likely to start the Kisan Morcha campaign from October first week.Describing the bills as “extremely beneficial” for the country’s farmers, Bhagat lashed out at the Congress for misleading the farmers.Also read: Five factors which could shape the Bihar poll results“Congress has never thought of the farmers’ welfare. Now when PM Modi and our Union agricultural minister has thought to empower them, it is spreading misconceptions and rumours about the three bills among the farmers,” he said.Bhagat, while assuring the farmers added, “The farmers need not worry and should be assured that PM Modi has worked in their favour only and not against them as claimed by the Opposition.”“It is ridiculous! The Congress had included the promises on the same in the 2019 elections manifesto and when our government has passed bills on them they are protesting. It is just a political gimmick,” he said.Meanwhile, the Congress said, “The NDA government has passed the anti-farmers bills by killing the democracy.”Pritam Singh, Congress state president said, “The NDA government passed the three bills under the uncontrolled addiction of power without thinking about the farmers. The manner in which it was passed in Rajya Sabha, it was the strangling of all Parliamentary procedures.”Singh said, “If Bhagat is accusing us of misleading the farmers then they should first explain why a minister from their ally Akali Dal resigned against those bills? He is saying that the party will explain the bills to farmers when they failed to do the same to their allies only.”Also read: Former Bihar DGP meets Nitish Kumar, may join JD(U) in run-up to pollsSingh lashed out at the BJP accusing it of working against the small farmers of the country.“The bills talk of opening the market for farmers but is it possible that a small farmer from the hills of Uttarakhand will sell his produce in Tamil Nadu or Maharashtra? Also, if it’s so beneficial for the farmers then why didn’t they add the provision of continuing the MSP in the bills?” he said.“Congress will march towards the Governor house against these agriculture bills on September 28 and continue to protest against them,” Singh stated.

Hindustan Times

26-09-2020

India