Updated: December 9, 2020 7:15:17 am
In a memorandum to Narendra Singh Tomar, they had supported three laws but with the amendments suggested by the farmers’ unions for the continuation of the MSP and mandi system. (Archive)
A Delhi lawyer and BJP supporters were among a delegation of about 20 farmers who had come to meet with the Union Minister of Agriculture, Narendra Singh Tomar, in New Delhi in support of three agricultural laws on Monday.
Many of them run agricultural producer organizations (OPF) with members ranging from less than 100 to a few hundred. In a memorandum to Tomar, they had supported three laws but with the amendments suggested by the farmers’ unions for the continuation of the MSP and mandi system. One of those who signed the memo is Pushpender Chauhan.
Chauhan told The Indian Express that he is a practicing lawyer in the Delhi courts and has lived in the national capital since 1985.
“I’m basically from the Bagpat district of Uttar Pradesh where I have about 3.5 acres of land. I do not belong to any organization, but I participated in an agitation related to Indian languages in 1985. We have given conditional support to the new agricultural laws such as the mandi system must continue and there must be equality in the fee structure inside and outside the mandis ”, says Chauhan.
Kanwal Singh Chauhan, who led the delegation, is from Aterna village in the Sonipat district. He was awarded the Padmi Shri in 2019 for his contribution in the field of agriculture. Chauhan says that his Progressive Farmer Club, Sonipat has 50 members. A law graduate, Chauhan had contested the Rai Constituency Assembly election as Janta Dal’s candidate in 1996, when he had obtained 3,100 votes. He fought in the parliamentary elections as a candidate for the Sonipat PCN in 1999 and obtained 1,948 votes.
One of the members of the delegation, Vinod Gulia, is a resident of Bhadsa village, which belongs to the Badli constituency of Haryana BJP President Om Prakash Dhankar. Gulia says its FPO, Jevik Aahar Farmer Producer Company, has 550 shareholders. His company is dedicated to providing various services to farmers, including different machines, seeds and fertilizers.
“If Modi is saying, then we have to trust him,” says Gulia, referring to the MSP promise. However, he suggested that there should be special courts to hear farmers’ complaints in light of the introduction of the new laws. Sources say that Gulia is actively associated with the ruling BJP.
A law graduate, Deepak Rajain from Dhaur Village of Jhajjar District admits that he is associated with the BJP and is a longtime follower of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to Rajain, his FPO Dhaur Kisan Sangthan has 74 members. “I practiced as a lawyer in the Jhajjar court for some time. But now, I can’t waste my legal practice time. I have four acres of land but I farm on eight acres of land owned by my uncles who are also in government jobs. I am in favor of these laws, as the arhtiyas used to buy my products at low prices. As a progressive farmer, I always seek to reap the benefits of government schemes, including those for farmer subsidies, ”says Rajain.
Bahadurgarh resident Satpal Singh is a director of an FPO, Nuna Majra Farmer Producer Company, which has 94 members.
“I am in favor of an open market, but the MSP system should remain. If someone buys crops from farmers below MSP then they should be punished. There should be reserve in government jobs for farmers’ children based on economic criteria, ”says Singh, who has about ten acres of land near Bahadurgarh.
One farmer, Atma Ram, from Khabra Kalan village in Fatehabad district, was unable to attend the meeting with Tomar, although he is one of those who signed the memorandum. Atma Ram says his FPO has about 200 members.
“The demands of agitating farmers are genuine. They have been sitting in the protest for the past few days. If they are satisfied with the amendments to the laws, that is fine. Otherwise, the government should find ways to solve the problem, but their demands are genuine, “he said.
Rampal Yadav, a resident of Dharuhera (Rewari), is happy with obtaining the bajra crop at the rate of 2,150 per quintal. “We don’t have any organization. I’m just a farmer. The MSP must continue ”, he added. Narnaul resident Gian Singh added: “We support the laws, but it also has some flaws. As if there should be a limit on billboards. The government did not win the trust of farmers before introducing the laws. However, farmers should also wait two years to see the results of the new laws. “
Gian claims that his FPO, Nakai Seed Producer Company is a 6 million rupee project that has 800 farmer shareholders.
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