On the eve of Bharat Bandh, J-K Kissan Tehreek held protest demonstrations at Jammu and Srinagar demanding repeal of “anti-farmer laws”.
Communist Party of India (CPI) (M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami addressing protest demonstration in Jammu said that “these anti-farmer and anti-poor agri-laws passed in the Parliament in a brazen manner without any consultation, debate and discussion is bound to destroy the agriculture sector and threaten India’s food security.”
“Besides, these laws will lay the basis for the abolishment of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and mortgage country’s agriculture and markets to the multi-national and domestic agri-business corporate,” the senior leader said.
“Those in authority might be surprised by the determination and resolve of the Kissan protestors as they find it hard to see where does it emanate from? For Kissans it is question of their identity and survival. What they fear is the loss of their whole way of life, of their land and their hounor. The ‘rosy’ picture presented by the BJP government, cannot mislead them. They understand that whole purpose of these arbitrary laws is handing over their land and crop to corporate houses and taking orders what to grow and how to grow and selling the produce at dictated prices, thereby reducing them to the level of tenants on their own land”, Tarigami according to the communiqué said.
While addressing the protest demonstration in Srinagar, Gh Nabi Malik, General Secretary JK Kisan Tehreek expressed concern over various problems being faced by the Kissans across J-K.
He, according to an official communiqué, said that issues of fair price for their produce by ensuring a minimum support price for all crops has been a long pending demand of farmers and the government must include Basmati, Saffron, fresh and dry fruit in MSP. “This legitimate demand despite repeated promises/assurances has not been conceded till date,” the statement added.
“Unjustified price rise in petrol, diesel and LPG have created havoc for common people,” Malik said.
Mohamad Afzal Parry and Zahoor Ahmad Rather besides other Kisan leaders also addressed the protesters at Srinagar.
Omprakash and Sham Prasad Kesar CITU leaders demanded immediate halt to the’ draconian changes in labour laws and said that these rights were won over after a struggle of around 150 years’.
“The continuous aggressive attack on the workers’ rights has created uncertainty among the working class. Modi government has gone on privatization spree in the public sector undertakings including Banks which is going to strip public assets and add to joblessness. The government should give up its privatisation spree,” a leader as per the communiqué said.
Kishore Kumar President Kisan Tehreek, Sohan Lal, Baranrasi Das and Sewa Ram kisan leaders also addressed the protestors at Jammu.
They appealed all political parties to render full support to Ksisans and not to remain mute spectators remarking that “these anti-farmer laws have pushed the farmers into a critical situation.” (GNS)
