Congress joins farmers in protest marches across Hry

GURUGRAM: Congress functionaries joined farmers in several parts of the state in their protests against the three agricultural bills on Monday. They took out marches and demonstrated outside the administrative headquarters of various districts.
From senior party functionaries such as Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Kumari Selja to young members from across 22 districts, Congress cadres mobilised farmers in the bastions of Sonipat, Jind, Hisar, Mewat and Jhajjar.They also handed to the respective administrative offices a memorandum addressed to the President.
The farmers have been demanding immediate withdrawal of the three bills, a legislation making it mandatory for the government and private players to buy farm produce at the price recommended by the Swaminathan Committee and full realisation of benefits promised under the crop insurance scheme.
“We held a state-wide protest to highlight how BJP has killed the democratic spirit of the country. We, as the opposition, stand behind the poor farmers and support their cause. BJP knows no other way but to blame everything on the position for their failures. Our protest is to expose how some of their schemes like crop insurance, land acquisition and demonetisation, among others, have made the farmers’ lives miserable,” said Asish Dua, Congress secretary.
In Mewat, the farmers ignored the administration’s pleas not to be “misled” about the consequences of the three bills. The protesters assembled at Gandhi Park on NH-248A and marched for 3km to reach the Nuh mini secretariat. They raised slogans against the state and central governments before handing out a memorandum.
In Rewari also, Congress workers and farmers led by Captain Ajay Singh Yadav protested against the three bills. They started a march from the house of Yadav and reached the district headquarters in the afternoon. The protesters sat on a dharna outside the secretariat and raised anti-BJP slogans.
“Without any division or voting, BJP passed the black law unilaterally. It has undermined the voices of farmers, opposition and even its allies. We have submitted the memorandum, asking the President to intervene and uphold the interests of farmers. We also demand procurement centres for cotton,” said Yadav.
In Jind, state Congress president Kumari Selja led scores of farmers to launch attacks on the ruling party. “They (BJP) have conspired against the food-providers of the country. These bills will enslave the farmers and the agricultural sector will become nothing less than a mortgage in the hands of capitalists,” she said.
Meanwhile, deputy chief minister Dushyanat Chautala has assured the farmers that the agriculture bills wouldn’t hurt their interests and he would resign from his post if the MSP was compromised.