Published 19:12 IST, September 29th 2020
Andhra Cong submits memorandum to Guv against Farm Acts; stages protest outside Raj Bhawan
On Tuesday, the Andhra Pradesh Congress vehemently opposed the Farm Acts and staged protest near Raj Bhawan in Vijaywada
On Tuesday, the Andhra Pradesh Congress vehemently opposed the Farm Acts and staged a protest near Raj Bhawan in Vijaywada. The party alleged that the new Farm Acts will make farmers slaves to corporates and submitted a memorandum to Governor Biswabhushan Harichandan.
Earlier, the Congress workers had planned a rally from the party office to Raj Bhawan. However, the state police did not give them permission. According to sources, the workers raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government.
Addressing the media, State party president Sake Sailajanath said that the party workers appealed to the Governor to bring to the notice of the President the evil impact of these Acts.
"The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, will make farmers slaves of the corporates. The concept of minimum support price will vanish. Market committees will be shut down. These developments will affect farmers adversely."
Further, Sailajanath alleged the ruling YSR Congress has surrendered to the BJP, adding that the party wants the BJP and YSRCP to withdraw the anti-farmer decisions.
President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday gave his assent to all three Farm Bills passed by the Parliament last week that have led to farmer agitation in Punjab and Haryana among other parts of the country. The agriculture bills include - Essential Commodities (Amendment) 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm services Act 2020 and the Farmers' produce trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act 2020.
Centre vs Opposition on Farm reform laws
The opposition including Congress is of the opinion that the new laws will lead to the abolishment of MSP mechanism and the liberalisation of the farm sector might affect the earlier Mandi system and leave the farmers at the mercy of the private entities. However, the government has reiterated that the MSP mechanism will not be impacted by the new reforms. The government has also reiterated that the APMC markets will continue to exist. The new laws will simply free the farmers from being compulsively dependent on the Mandis and middlemen which have been a long-standing issue due to corruption, which has led to less revenue for the farmers till now. The Central Government has claimed it as a move towards making farmers self-reliant.
The new laws will allow the farmers to sell their produce outside of the Mandis without having to share the commission with the middlemen which will lead to more income for the farmers. However, the farmers would still have the option to sell in Mandis if they wish to follow the conventional system, the Government has said on multiple occasions.
(Inputs and Image: ANI)
Updated 19:13 IST, September 29th 2020