Farmers Movement Archive

Rally in Sachin Pilot’s bastion passes resolution against farm laws

JAIPUR: A kisan mahapanchayat, which was addressed by former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot in Dausa on Friday, passed a three-point resolution asking the Centre to withdraw its three controversial farm laws. Apart from this it also asked the Centre to compensate the kin of farmers who died during the protest and withdraw police cases against the protestors. Pilot condemned the violence of January 26 at Red Fort but urged the Centre not to pitch ‘kisan’ and ‘jawan’ against each other. He said the kind of fortification being done against the protesting farmers on the Delhi borders was not done even on the Indo-Pak border. The Congress leader said 24 political parties were united in support of the farmers and would continue to protest peacefully until the three laws were withdrawn. The mahapanchayat was organised by Congress legislator from Dausa, Murari Lal Meena and was attended by six more MLAs, other than Pilot. The event drew a huge gathering of rural men and women from Dausa and nearby districts. The region has been a stronghold of the Pilot family since the days of late Rajesh Pilot. The former deputy chief minister would be addressing more farmer rallies in the state in the coming days. In Dausa, Pilot attacked the Centre saying it had pushed the entire farming community’s future into darkness just to please a handful of industrialists. Pilot said 80% farmers in the country were marginal, but the three laws passed by the Centre have no provision to protect their interests. “The Centre invited farmers 11 times for talks but what is holding it from withdrawing the laws that are being opposed all over the country?” Pilot asked, addressing the mahapanchayat. He also questioned the Rajasthan governor holding on to the three amendment bills passed by the state assembly to neutralise the Union farm laws. “Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have united 24 political parties against these laws. We will make the Centre accept our demands,” Pilot said. The Congress leader said the three Union laws were aimed at ending the crop mandis and did not guarantee minimum support price for the farmers’ produce. “These laws have ended stock limits. We have a food security Act that ensures meals for the poor, but if the industrialists purchase all the crops and the government stops buying from farmers, how will the poor be fed?” Pilot said. “Forget about doubling the farmers’ income as was promised, the Centre has ended even the bonus that was given on crops. Pilot said the Centre should stop labelling farmers as ‘terrorists’ and ‘separatists’.” People at the mahapanchayat joined Pilot in shouting ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan’ slogans and raised their hands in support of the three-point resolution.

The Times of India

2021-02-06

Jaipur