Farm Bill Row: Congress launches agitation against govt for passing 'anti-farmer' law

Amid vociferous protest over the Farm Bills Row, Congress leader AK Antony said the party is launching agitation against the government for passing this anti-farmer and anti-people laws. The three bills are facing massive protests by farmers groups in Haryana, UP, and other parts of the country after it was alleged that the ordinances would leave them at the mercy of market forces.

This statement from Antony comes after a meeting of Congress general secretaries and in-charges at party headquarters in New Delhi. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had also joined the meeting via video conference.  After the bills were tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Sunday, the Congress party turned up the heat, levelling allegations against the BJP-led Central government over the contentious farm bills.

READ: 'Won't let pro-corporate Agriculture Bills pass in Rajya Sabha': Congress challenges BJP

Earlier, Congress MP KC Venugopal said that the Government has introduced the Agriculture Bills to ‘destroy’ the farmers and help the corporate sector. He said that the Congress has decided to oppose the proposed legislation in the Upper House. Congress MP Partap Singh Bajwa also said that the party opposes “ill-conceived and ill-timed Bills,” adding that its MPs would not sign on the “death warrant” of farmers.

Meanwhile, Congress leader PL Punia launched an attack on the BJP government, stating that the Opposition parties will together challenge the agriculture bills in the Rajya Sabha.

READ: SAD delegation meets President Kovind, requests him to not sign the Farm Bills

Rajya Sabha passes Farm Bills; oppositions protest

Amid vehement objection and clamouring from the Opposition, the Rajya Sabha on Sunday has passed two farm bills via a voice vote. The upper house has passed the Farmers' and Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, amid protest by the Opposition. All three bills had sailed through the Lok Sabha on September 17. The contention bills have been excoriated by the Opposition and have been termed as 'anti-farmer'.

Congress MPs were outraged when YSRCP MP VV Reddy backed the bill and said that there was no reason for Congress to oppose the bills, adding that Congress is a party of 'Dalals' (middlemen). He seemingly said that to take a jibe on Congress as the bills seek to end the mechanism of middlemen in the agricultural sector where farmers need be dependant on the middlemen to sell their produce, however, they would have the option to seek middlemen if they wish to.

DMK MP TKS Elangovan said that farmers who contribute at least 20 per cent to the total GDP of the country will be made slaves by these Bills. It will kill the farmers and make them a commodity, he contended.

READ: 'Farm sector functioning smoothly, no shortage of foodgrains': Centre on impact of COVID

READ: Delhi Congress leaders stage protest against farm bills; detained