Haryana farmers, arhtiyas hold rallies against Centre

KARNAL/ROHTAK: Hundreds of farmers took out tractor rallies in various parts of Haryana on Monday to protest against the agriculture-related ordinances, recently promulgated by the Union government.

Protesting under the banner of the Bharatiya Kisan Union, farmers and arhtiyas took out district-level rallies on their tractors, bikes and cars and raised slogans against the Centre.

Referring to the Farming Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, the protesters said these were “antifarmer” ordinances that would allow big corporate houses to purchase the produce at their own prices.

“These ordinances would allow private traders to purchase agriculture produce directly from farmers which would only end up benefitting big corporate houses owned by the likes of Ambani and Adani,” alleged BKU state president Gurnam Singh Chaduni, who was leading the protest in Kurukshetra.

He said that the ordinance will end the competition in market, thus forcing the farmers to sell their produce to these private traders at their own prices, he alleged.

The farmer leaders also alleged that the government

› The agri ordinances are anti-farmer. These will end the competition in market, thus forcing the farmers to sell their produce to these private traders GURNAM SINGH CHADUNI, BKU state president

wants to shut mandis and end the Minimum Support Price system and this will encourage black-marketing of food grains and essential items.

They demanded the government to immediately withdraw the ordinances and ensure that all the crops of the farmers are purchased on the MSP.

The farmer leaders threatened to intensify the agitation if the government fails to withdraw the ordinances.

They have called a state-level Mahapanchayat on July 30 at Kaithal to decide the further course of action.

SOCIAL DISTANCING GOES FOR TOSS

Social distancing took a backstage as the farmers came out in huge numbers at protest sites at Karnal, Kuruksehtra, Yamunanagar, Kaithal, Bhiwani, Hisar, Jind, Sirsa, Ambala and Fatehabad districts, even as the cops and administration officials remained mute spectators.

The protests, however, remained peaceful as the farmers did not block rail or road traffic.