Punjab farmers organise ‘rail roko’ agitation in protest against farm bills from today

In protest towards the Centre’s farm payments, farmers in Punjab will organise a three-day ‘rail roko’ agitation beginning Thursday.

After being cleared the Lok Sabha, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and The Farming Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 had been handed by voice vote within the Rajya Sabha on Sunday. Now they await the President’s nod to change into legal guidelines.

“We have decided to hold a ‘rail roko’ agitation from September 24 to 26 in the state against the farm bills,” Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee common secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher stated final week. The state’s farmers, together with farmers of Haryana and Opposition events throughout the nation, have been in staunch protest towards the payments ever since they had been slated to be tabled within the Lok Sabha.

Another farmers’ organisation has referred to as for a state-wide ‘bandh’ on September 25.

The protesters fear that the payments will dismantle the present Minimum Support Prince (MSP) system and depart the farmers on the mercy of massive corporates. However, the federal government claims that the MSP system will proceed unchanged and the brand new payments will end in greater income for the farmers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has additionally assured the farmers on a number of events that the “very historic” payments will profit them as they are going to take away the ability from the palms of middlemen and provides them the liberty to promote their produce the place they see extra revenue.

After the passage of the payments within the Upper House, Opposition leaders together with Trinamool Congress’ Derek O’Brien and Aam Aadmi Party’s Sanjay Singh entered the effectively of the Rajya Sabha whereas the session was in progress, demanding that the payments be referred to a choose committee.