Once again taking their protest to the streets, thousands of farmers from 10 organizations under the banner of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordinator Committee (AIKSCC) on Monday held rallies in five districts of Punjab against the Central Government’s three agriculture ordinances, reminding the Government of its promise to double the farmers’ income.
Under ‘lalkar rallies’, the farmers blocked several roads including the Amritsar-Delhi national highway and held agitations in different parts of the state including Patiala, Barnala, Moga, Phagwara and Amritsar, to protest against the “anti-farmer” ordinances introduced amid the COVID-19 pandemic — including The Farming Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance, and Farm Services Ordinance and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance.
While different farmers’ outfits raised slogans against the Centre for bringing the “anti-farmer” ordinances and demanded their rollback, commuters faced inconvenience due to road blockade as the authorities diverted traffic through other roads.
Members of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee blocked the Amritsar-Delhi national highway at the Beas bridge, about 40 km from Amritsar.
They also blocked traffic at the Harike headworks in Tarn Taran and the Tanda-Hargobindpur bridge in Hoshiarpur.
Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee president Satnam Singh Pannu said that the farm ordinances would “destroy” the farming community and they should be withdrawn.
AIKCC (Punjab chapter) president Darshan Pal, addressing a gathering at Patiala, said that angry farmers took to the streets to protest the ordinances brought by the Central Government. “Farmers would be left to the mercy of big corporates if the ordinances are passed,” he said.
Farmer leaders Buta Singh Burjgill, Ruldu Singh Mansa, Jaipal Singh and Baldev Singh Nihalgarh, in a joint statement, stated that the Central and State Governments were pursuing and implementing anti-farming policies mandated by the World Trade Organization.
The government wanted to hand over agriculture to national and international corporates, they alleged.
“The BJP had promised to implement the Swaminathan Commission recommendations during the Parliamentary election campaign in 2014. Also, the Central government promised to double the farmer’s income by 2022.
We want to remind the government of these promises,” said Burjgill.
Bhartiya Kisan Union’s (Dakaunda) general secretary Jagmohan Singh said: Today’s was just a symbolic rally and we have asked our cadre to prepare for September 16 action when we may block rail or other places.”
Farmers have expressed apprehension that the three ordinances would pave way for dismantling of the minimum support price (MSP) system and they would be at the “mercy” of big corporates.
The Congress-led government in the state, which is spearheading a campaign against the ordinances, had described these ordinances as a “blatant attack” on the federal structure.
On August 28, the Punjab Assembly had passed a resolution, rejecting these farm ordinances.
The Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had earlier said that these ordinances are not only against the interest of farmers and landless workers and time-tested agriculture marketing system established in the state, but are also against the Constitution of India.