Farmers Movement Archive

Can PM Modi give lives back, asks Cong

Kolkata: Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) leader Hannan Mollah, who is a CPM politburo member, described PM Narendra Modi’s decision to repeal farm laws as “a historic victory for farmers”. But he was in no mood to end the agitation until the laws were repealed by Parliament. “It is indeed a historic victory for all of us. However, I am a bit cautious and unwilling to trust this government until and unless these three laws are scrapped on the floor of Parliament,” Mollah said. SKM, he added, would now press for a new law to guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for farmers, among other issues. “We saw how the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act was scrapped in 2014. But no fresh law has been promulgated yet,” Mollah said. West Bengal Pradesh Congress president and opposition leader in Parliament Adhir Chowdhury called the decision a “late realization after so many deaths”. He pointed out that the BJP government had to suspend the three laws’ implementation following a Supreme Court order. “The apex court had stalled their implementation for 18 months. The PM had to repeal the laws today or tomorrow. The difference with others is that he did it after muddying waters. This government has lost its credibility among people,” Chowdhury said. Left Front chairman Biman Bose hailed the protracted farmers’ agitation at the Singhu border. “More than a hundred farmers laid down their lives against the BJP bulldozing farmers with the three draconian farm laws. Can PM Modi give those lives back?” he said after taking out a rally in Jhargram. CPM state secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra congratulated SKM and All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee for their “magnificent victory”. He demanded that the state government should drop similar provisions in the amended state Act immediately. Coordination committee national secretary Avik Saha said the farmers’ victory was “incomplete”. “While the three farm laws are yet to be repealed in Parliament, the struggle for the legal guarantee of MSP for all produce, and the withdrawal of Electricity Amendment Act persists,” he said.

The Times of India

2021-11-20

Kolkata