RLD leader meets protesting farmers in Delhi, questions Centre's push for new farm laws

farmers protesting against Centre's new farm laws will t relent on ir demands, Rashtriya Lok Dal vice president Jayant Chaudhary said on Wednesday and assured his party's support to ongoing stir.

He met with some of agitating farmers at Singhu border in Delhi, but dubbed his meeting as “n-political”. “Everyone is concerned about situation. It has been a couple of days since stir began at Delhi border, but agitation in Punjab has been on since more than one-and-a-half months,” Chaudhary said.

“I went to meet farmers because I felt it was my duty to do so. I went re to distribute langar 'pras' to farmers with 'seva bhaav' (feeling of service). It was t a political visit,” he told PTI over phone.

RLD leer said he met and spoke with several protestors and it “looked like farmers will t relent” unless ir demands are fulfilled.

Asked about his party's stand over new farm laws, he said RLD has been against legislations since very beginning and h questioned Centre's intent over pushing Farmers' Produce Tre and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

Chaudhary said government can make new laws, but it should t “destruct” existing legislations.

“One must realise that it takes a long time for any law to come into existence, a lot of hard work goes into it. Here, three new laws were me quickly even though one h asked for m. Can government clarify who h demanded se laws that would benefit corporate inste of farmers?” he said.

On RLD losing elections in western Uttar Presh, which was once considered its stronghold, Chaudhary said his party is once again trying to reach out to people at grassroots level to reclaim lost ground.

“We are w participating in movements and causes closer to common man to reclaim lost ground. This was reason for our electoral losses also,” he said.

RLD will soon launch a new initiative 'Mera Gaon, Mera Sangathan' that aims to build furr on party's grassroots connection, he ted.

Hundreds of farmers are staying put at Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Presh. y have expressed apprehension that Centre's farm laws would pave way for dismantling of minimum support price system, leaving m at "mercy" of big corporate.

However, Centre has maintained that new laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new techlogies in agriculture.

(Photo Credit: Twitter/RLDparty)