Farmers in Haryana and Punjab have protested against three ordinances passed by the Center. The protests began on Thursday when the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) organized a demonstration and blocked National Highway 44 near Kurukshetra. The farmers were charged by Haryana police for failing to follow Covid-19 ban orders and for property damage.
The farmers expressed their outrage at the approval of these ordinances by the Center, which they called “anti-farmer.” They believe the ordinances will lead to the destruction of peasants and expose them to the whims of market forces, BKU leader Gurnam Singh was quoted as saying by the PTI news agency.
What are the three ordinances approved by the Center?
The Agricultural Products Trade and Trade (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance 2020, the Farmers Agreement (Empowerment and Protection) on Price Guarantee and the Agricultural Services Ordinance 2020 and the Essential Products (Amendment) Ordinance 2020 are the three ordinances that the center had passed during the period of confinement.
Haryana farmers protest against three agricultural ordinances
Farmers are most concerned about the first: the Trade (Promotion and Facilitation) of Agricultural Products and Trade (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance of 2020. The ordinance seeks to “establish an obstacle-free trade of farmers’ products outside the markets notified under the various produce market laws (APMC state laws). The Ordinance will prevail over APMC state laws. “
Farmers fear that this ordinance will put an end to the Mandi system of sale of agricultural products and lead to the sale of their products below the Minimum Subsistence Price or MSP.
SAD Calls on the Center not to enact laws on agricultural ordinances until farmers’ fears are resolved
The ordinance establishes that farmers can trade products outside of “the physical facilities of market patios administered by market committees formed under state APMC laws” and such trade “can take place at any place of production, collection and aggregation of farmers”. products that include: (i) farm doors, (ii) factory facilities, (iii) warehouses, (iv) silos and (v) cold rooms “.
Congress supports farmers in their demands
According to PTI, former Haryana Chief Minister and Congressional Leader Bhupender Singh Hooda said in a statement: “These ordinances are against the interests of farmers. If the government wants to implement them, then it must make sure that no purchases are made below the MSP. “
A three-member panel meets with farmers in Haryana to hear their complaints
BJP Haryana Unit Chief Om Prakash Dhankar, Bhiwani-Mahendergarh MP Dharambir Singh, Kurukshetra MP Nayab Singh Saini and Hisar MP Brijendra Singh met with farmers on Saturday and stated that farmers farmers were being misled about the ordinances. They also said that the Center aims to carry out structural reforms and allow farmers better access to a larger market.
Farmers still feel that MPs should raise these issues in Parliament’s monsoon session starting Monday and clear up any confusion regarding these ordinances.
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