Hooda takes aim at farm laws in Gurugram

Former Haryana chief minister and the leader of the opposition, Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that the farm laws proposed by the Central government should be withdrawn so that the ongoing farmers’ protests can come to an end

Former Haryana chief minister and the leader of the opposition, Bhupinder Singh Hooda said that the farm laws proposed by the Central government should be withdrawn so that the ongoing farmers’ protests can come to an end.

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Hooda, who was in Gurugram on Wednesday, said that the farm laws would harm not only the farmers’ interests but also that of workers and consumers, as they are aimed at “giving an advantage to large corporations.”

Hooda said that the present state government had lost the trust of both the public and the legislators. “Such governments automatically fall due to the burden of their own failures. The Congress wants to move a no-confidence motion against the government on the issue of farmers. As soon as a no-confidence motion comes in the assembly, the truth of the rebellious MLAs will also be revealed to the public. Everyone will know if they stand with the government or the farmers,” he said.

The former CM also alleged that the farm laws were designed to help corporations profit at the cost of producers and consumers. “When the produce of the farmer comes to the market, the rates will be brought down and once the profiteers buy the entire produce, it will be sold to the general consumer at an expensive rate. Similarly, if the government purchases stop, then the government will also stop giving cheap food grains to below poverty line (BPL) families,” he said.

Urging the state and central governments to repeal the laws, the Congress leader said that the government should understand the gravity of the situation and factor in the condition of the farmers.

Samay Singh Bhati, the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Kisan Morcha for Haryana, said that a majority of the farming community in the state is in support of the three proposed laws and they would create awareness across the state in this matter. “The Congress and its leadership are misleading the farmers. We must remember how many scandals and corruptions were exposed during the rule of previous Congress regimes. They don’t have the interest of farmers in mind, but they just want to fuel the protests. The stay on laws is fine and amendments are welcome, but these should not be repealed,” said Bhati at a press conference in Gurugram.

Meanwhile, farmers and workers in Gurugram held a protest against the farm laws on Wednesday. Workers associated with trade unions in Gurugram-Manesar industrial complex wore black bands as a mark of protest against the farm laws. Trade union and Left party leaders also gathered at Rajiv Chowk in the afternoon and burnt copies of the farm laws. The trade union leaders said that they fully support the farmers in their struggle to get these laws repealed.