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Selja slams BJP govt for ‘anti-farmer’ ordinances
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, Selja said the new laws will eliminate competition in the market and minimum support price for the crops.
Accusing the BJP government of leaving no stone unturned to ruin the farmers, Haryana Congress president Kumari Selja on Monday said the three recent ordinances promulgated by the Central government will only help government’s favourite capitalists to have a free hand to loot the farmers.
The Congress leader was 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.
Addressing a press conference, Selja said that as per the new laws, the trader will be allowed to buy crops from outside the mandi. “This will eliminate competition in the market and minimum support price for the crops. These laws will also affect functioning of mandis in Haryana. At the same time, the crops of the farmers will be sold in the market at one-third price, due to which the farmers will suffer a huge loss,” she alleged.
“The ordinances will protect the interests of a particular class only and are against the interests of farmers. These should be withdrawn immediately,” the Congress leader demanded. The state Congress chief maintained that amendment in the Essential Commodities Act will also lead to black marketing of many items.
Chief minister ML Khattar, however, had on Sunday allayed fears regarding the new laws saying they will help in doubling the farmers’ income. Khattar had said the new measures will create an environment where farmers and traders have a free choice of sale and purchase of farm produce. The chief minister had said that it’s a false propaganda that minimum support price (MSP) will be done away with after the implementation of these measures.
