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Haryana: Tohana mahapanchayat passes resolution against new policy draft
Addressing the mahapanchayat, Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) leader Rakesh Tikait warned the Centre of agitation around Delhi borders if it fails to take back the new policy draft
A kisan mahapanchayat at Tohana on Saturday passed a resolution against the newly announced draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing, terming it “more dangerous” than the three repealed farm laws.
Addressing the mahapanchayat, Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) leader Rakesh Tikait warned the Centre of agitation around Delhi borders if it fails to take back the new policy draft. “The policy framework, if implemented, will crush the federal rights of the state governments and destroy the interests of the farmers, agricultural workers, petty producers and small traders since there is no provision to ensure MSP and minimum wage. We are holding panchayats across the country and a similar meeting will be conducted on January 7 to adopt resolutions against the new policy draft,” said Tikait. SKM had spearheaded year-long farmers’ agitation against the repealed farm laws.
Tikait said that the Centre should hold talks with farmers protesting at Shambhu and Khanauri borders and take steps to end the fast of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal.“If anything happens to Dallewal Ji, the Centre will have to bear dire consequences,” he added.
Farmer leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan said the SKM has called a meeting of its general body in Delhi on January 24 to decide the future course of action. He urged the village panchayats to pass resolutions against the new draft policy and sent letters to the Centre by January 10.
“The proposed framework seeks to encroach upon the rights of state governments over agriculture, land, industry, and market areas that fall under the state list as per the Constitution of India. The Union government is trying to bring back the erstwhile repealed three farm laws,” he added.
Earlier, SKM had said the policy draft does not have any mention of ensuring a remunerative minimum support price (MSP) for farmers, which was a central recommendation of the National Commission on Farmers (NCF), chaired by the late M S Swaminathan, “and currently a key issue in the national political discourse”. It also said it is crucial for all political parties to clarify their stance on the proposed agriculture marketing policy.
On Thursday, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann had said the Centre was trying to “bring back” the now-repealed farm laws, referring to the newly announced draft of NPFAM.
