Opposition leaders met with President Ram Nath Kovind today and sought the removal of the new farm laws.
New Delhi:
Opposition parties met today with President Ram Nath Kovind and sought the repeal of the three agricultural laws against which thousands of farmers have been protesting on various borders of the national capital.
The five-member delegation of opposition leaders included Congressional Leader Rahul Gandhi, CPN Chief Sharad Pawar, CPI (M) Secretary General Sitaram Yechury, CPI Secretary General D Raja, and CPI Leader. DMK, TKS Elangovan.
Opposition leaders presented a memorandum to the president that said: “We urge you, as custodian of the Indian Constitution, to persuade your government not to be stubborn and to accept the demands made by the annadatas of India.”
The memo also read: “New agricultural laws, passed in Parliament in an undemocratic manner that impede structured discussion and voting, threaten India’s food security, destroy Indian agriculture and our farmers, lay the foundation for the abolition of Support Minimum Price (MSP) and mortgaging Indian agriculture and our markets at the whims of multinational agricultural corporations and national corporations. “
The memorandum to the president further stated that more than 20 different political parties, including many parties that run state governments, have extended their solidarity with the ongoing historic struggle of the Indian peasantry and given their unconditional support to their call for a Bharat Bandh on the 8th. December, demanding the repeal of the retrograde agrarian laws and the Electricity Reform Bill.
“We met with the president and informed him of our opinion on the three agricultural laws. We have asked for their repeal. We informed the president that it is essential that they withdraw,” Gandhi told reporters after meeting with the president.
He said that the way the farm laws were passed in Parliament, “we think it was an insult to the farmers and that’s why they are protesting in the cold weather.”
“The farmers will not give in and will continue their protests until the laws are withdrawn,” he said.
The former head of Congress said the new laws appeared aimed at handing over the agricultural sector to “friends of the prime minister,” but farmers are not afraid, they will not back down and will continue their peaceful agitation.
PNC leader Sharad Pawar said several political parties have petitioned the president for these farm laws to be repealed as they were not discussed with stakeholders or the Select Committee of Parliament.
The former agriculture minister said that the government did not accept a single suggestion from the opposition leaders raised in parliament and that all these bills were hastily passed.
He said that the MSP has not been mentioned in the new farm laws and that is why farmers are upset.
Mr. Yechury said: “We told the President that the three farm laws were passed undemocratic in Parliament and we have sought the repeal of these laws.”
He said the government should repeal the laws in light of widespread protests from farmers.
Opposition leaders said prime ministers have been saying that these laws are in the interest of farmers, but the question is if these laws are in their favor, then why are farmers protesting in the cold?
The opposition delegation was limited to five due to the COVID-19 situation.
The three farm laws enacted in September have been projected by the government as major reforms in the agricultural sector that will eliminate middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country.
However, protesting farmers have expressed fear that the new laws would pave the way for removing the Minimum Livelihood Price safety cushion and eliminating mandis, leaving them at the mercy of large corporations.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
.
