Farmers Movement Archive

Amid curbs, farmers protest Centre’s ordinances in Bathinda

Bathinda, July 20Arhtiyas shut shopsAbohar: Over 300 offices of arhtiyas remained closed here on Monday, while farmers organised a tractor rally at Sadhuwali village to protest against the three farm ordinances.Kisan Sangharsh Samiti district president Amar Singh Bishnoi said the rally was organised as part of nationwide agitation against the ordinances.“We demand withdrawal of the farm ordinances passed by the Modi government as they are anti-farmers,” he said.Activists of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today took out a tractor march outside the Bathinda Deputy Commissioner office against farm ordinances introduced by the Centre.Besides ordinances, farmers have been up in arms against the proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill and hike in fuel prices.Dara Singh, a BKU leader, said, “Farm ordinances introduced by the Centre will abolish minimum support price (MSP) of crops and the existing marketing structure in Punjab. Farmers and labourers will suffer at the hands of private companies.”Another BKU leader, Sarup Singh, said the Centre should waive debt of farmers at the earliest.Navdeep Singh Jeeda, district chief, AAP, said, “At a time when the country is grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic, the Centre introduced anti-farmer ordinances.” The AAP workers said the proposed Electricity Bill would put financial burden on farmers and Below Poverty Line (BPL) families.Meanwhile, farmers also took out a tractor march in Fazilka district. Gurbhej Singh Virk said the Essential Commodity Ordinance passed by the Central government would ruin farmers.Farmers said prices of produce should be given as per the recommendation of the Swaminathan Commission and the Centre should slash rates of diesel and petrol.

The Tribune

2020-07-21