Tag: anti-farmer

Rajasthan Government To Bring Bill Against Centre’s Farm Laws on October 31

The Ashok Gehlot government is set to follow in the footsteps of another Congress-ruled state, Punjab.

Jaipur: The Rajasthan government will bring a Bill against the Centre’s farm laws in the state assembly on October 31, a senior Congress leader said on Sunday.

After Punjab, the Rajasthan government will pass a bill to negate anti-farmer provisions in the Centre’s three agricultural bills on October 31, Congress national general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal tweeted on Sunday.

He said the Congress is committed to protect farmers and their rights. “Congratulations to [the] Ashok Gehlot-led Govt,” Venugopal tweeted.

Chief minister Ashok Gehlot had earlier said that his government will bring a bill against the Centre’s farm laws on the lines of Punjab.

The Punjab assembly recently unanimously passed four Bills and adopted a resolution against the farm laws.

The Rajasthan state assembly, which was adjourned on August 24, 2020, will resume its business on October 31, 2020, according to a notification issued by the Rajasthan Legislative Secretariat on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the BJP said farmers are bearing losses as the Congress government in the state is not implementing the laws enacted by the Centre.

State BJP chief spokesman Ramlal Sharma said his party will oppose the government in the assembly.

He claimed that the government has said that it will bring a bill providing three-year jail for traders if they purchase crops below the minimum support price (MSP).

The entire country knows that only 8-10 per cent purchase is done above the MSP and the rest farmers sell in the open market, he said, adding that if the government introduces such a provision then traders will not come to the state to buy farmers’ produce.

“If the government wants to decide for the benefit of farmers, then it should mention in the bill that it will bear difference value if farmers’ produce is purchased below the MSP by any trader,” Sharma said.

Kejriwal Terms Three Farming-Related Bills ‘Anti-Farmer’, Says Party Will Vote Against Them in Parliament

The Bills were introduced in parliament to replace the ordinance promulgated earlier.

New Delhi: Terming three Bills related to agriculture “anti-farmer”, AAP national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday demanded that the Centre withdraw them, saying his party will vote against the bills in Parliament.

The AAP has three Rajya Sabha MPs and one Lok Sabha MP.

“The three Bills related to farming and farmers brought in the Parliament are anti-farmer. Farmers all over the country are opposing them. The Central government should withdraw these three bills. The AAP will vote against them in parliament,” he tweeted in Hindi.

The Centre had on Monday introduced the Farmers’ Produce Trade And Commerce (Promotion And Facilitation) Bill, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill to replace the ordinances promulgated earlier.

These Bills seek to provide barrier-free trade for farmers’ produce outside notified farm mandis and empower farmers to enter into farming agreements with private players prior to production for sale of agri-produce.