Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot writes to PM Modi over farm laws and farmers agitation

In the backdrop of the farmers' protests against the farm laws, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him 'to reconsider the laws in the interest of farmers and protection of democratic values'.

Gehlot said that the farmers have been making a positive contribution to the economy and they should not be given such a reward. He said that the farmers have irrigated the land of the country with their blood and sweat. The Centre should immediately resolve their problems by listening to their demands, the Rajasthan Chief Minister said.

"The central government tried to take away the right to protest, which is not justified," Gehlot said.

Gehlot also stated that the Centre brought in the laws without any discussion with farmers and experts while also ignoring the demands by opposition parties in the Parliament to send the bills to a select committee. He also stated that the laws do not mention anything on the MSP mechanism which has led to doubts among the farmers. He also apprised the Prime Minister on the bills passed by the state governments "to protect the interest of the farmers", negating the laws passed in the Parliament.

This comes as the thousands of farmers have continued to protest against the new farm laws at the Singhu and Tikri borders blocking national highways. There have been incidents of clashes in the past few days between the agitating farmers and the police personnel which resulted in the latter using water cannons and tear gas, while the former resorted to stone pelting on the police personnel and tossing police barricades into the river. Also, the farmers on Sunday rejected Home Minister Amit Shah's request to stop the road blockade at Delhi borders and assemble at Nirankari Samagam ground so that talks could be initiated ahead of the specified date of December 3.

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Why are protests being carried out?

Farmers have expressed doubts that the new laws will impact the MSP mechanism and the APMC Mandi system and will leave them at the mercy of Corporates with the entry of private sector entities. However, the Centre has given assurance on multiple occasions that the new laws will not impact the MSP system, instead, it will give farmers the freedom to sell their produce outside of the Mandis while also having the option to sell them in Mandis if they wish to, as against the earlier compulsion to sell only through Mandis. Centre has contended that the farmers will also allow the farmers to sell their produce directly to private sector entities without being dependent on the middlemen and APMC regulators.

(With PTI inputs)

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