COURTESY HT SEPT 25

AAP protests farm bills in Gurugram

AAP marched till the mini secretariat on Thursday. PARVEEN KUMAR
HT Correspondent

htreporters@hindustantimes.com

Gurugram : Members of Aam Aadmi Party(AAP), Gurugram, on Thursday, took out a protest march from Sohna Chowk till the Mini Secretariat building to raise their voice against the three farm bills that were recently passed by the Parliament. AAP members also submitted a memorandum addressing the President to the district administration.

The Parliament in its monsoon session passed three farm bills namely,The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020; the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020. While these bills await presidential assent, farmers across the northern states of Punjab and Haryana have been protesting against them, alleging that these bills go against the interest of the farming community.

AAP member RS Rathee said that the party had submitted a letter addressed to the President, asking him not to give his assent to the bills. “The objections raised by the farmers are being suppressed and the bills were passed in the Parliament by silencing the opposition parties. These parties kept seeking a division of votes but no attention was paid to their objections,” said Rathee. He said that the party would continue to protest against the legislation until the demand of the farmers are accommodated. “Small farmers will suffer if the bills are made into a law.”

Mewat-based social organisation, Mewat Vikas Sabha (MVS), will also be demonstrating against the legislations at Badkali Chowk in Nuh on Friday. “Farmers across the country are protesting against the anti-farmer legislation passed by the government. To extend our support to farmers, we will also be protesting against the bills,” said MVS president Salamudeen Meo.

BJP Haryana spokesperson Raman Malik said that criticism from AAP and other parties was unwarranted. He said that the bills would not have an impact on the minimum support price (MSP) and were aimed at giving more choices to farmers. “The bills have nothing to do with MSPs. The agricultural produce market committee (APMC) laws are not being changed. Further, the mandis (markets) are not going anywhere. These three laws will open up the market, if desired by the farmers. They will have the freedom to choose where they want to sell,” said Malik