Published 17:52 IST, September 21st 2020
Farm Bills Row: WB CM accuses Centre of 'orchestrating food pandemic'; calls for protest
Mamata Banerjee on Monday targetted the Central government over the passage of Farm Bills and said that the government has orchestrated 'food-pandemic'
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday targetted the Central government over the passage of Farm Bills and said that the government has orchestrated a 'food-pandemic'. This statement from the Chief Minister comes after the Rajya Sabha on Sunday passed two farm bills via a voice vote. The Opposition created a ruckus in the Rajya Sabha during the voice vote as many MPs attempted to storm the house and heckle the Chair.
Speaking to ANI, Banerjee said that the bills are not in farmers and further asked all parties to stage a protest.
"Farm bills are not in favour of farmers, all parties should protest against these bills. By force, they have bulldozed farmers' rights. Central Government took the power of states to regulate prices for farmers and are orchestrating 'food-pandemic'," said Mamata Banerjee.
TMC MP Derek O'Brien on Sunday remarked that the BJP 'broke the back of Indian democracy'. The TMC MP was at the center of a high-pitched drama in the Rajya Sabha opposing the three farm bills. Defending his behaviour in the Upper House, Derek said that if the government wants to 'cheat,' they will give it back 'twice as much'.
Derek O'Brien tore some documents in front of the Deputy Chairman alongside trying to heckle him and snatch away his microphone. The Opposition also took to sloganeering as the Bill was passed. The bill allows intra-state and inter-state trade of farmers’ produce beyond the physical premises of APMC markets.
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.
(with inputs from ANI)
Updated 17:52 IST, September 21st 2020