Farmers Movement Archive

Youth Congress protests against agri ordinances

Amritsar, August 4Urban unit of the youth Congress, led by its district secretary Vivan Khurana, staged a protest against agriculture ordinances and rising fuel prices outside the Hall Gate here on Tuesday. Khurana alleged the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance 2020, are anti-farmer.“It allows farmers to sell goods outside mandis. In this, big traders and companies will fix the price of crops and reduce the prices of products. The second ordinance is an amendment to the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. In it, the government has lifted the ban on storage of potatoes, onions, pulses, oilseeds. This will benefit the companies, not the farmers”, Khurana said.“Agriculture is a business in western countries. In India, however, land is a mainstay of the family. This decision must be repealed. The hike in diesel prices should be reversed. Farmers should get subsidy on fuel”, he added.According to recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission report on farmers, the minimum support prices of crops should be given on each produce, he said. If a trader buys on less than MSP, legal action should be taken. The farmers should be completely debt free. If the Union Government does not withdraw this ordinance by August 15, the Youth Congress will intensify its struggle against the government, Khurana said.

The Tribune

2020-08-05