RJD led Opposition plans massive human chain against farm laws on Jan 30

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) led grand alliance is readying to form a massive human chain on January 30, across Bihar, in solidarity with farmers protesting against the three Central farm laws and in support of other agriculture-related demands.

All the GA allies including Congress, CPI-ML( liberation), CPI and CPM, have decided to participate in the event, billed as the first major show of strength by the main opposition bloc, after its narrow loss to the National Democratic Alliance in the recently concluded assembly election despite winning 110 seats out of the 243 on offer.

The event is being held to support the demand for repeal of the three farm laws, converting the minimum support price (MSP) regime into a law, withdrawal of draft energy bill, 2020, scrapping the provision of punitive action against farmers for burning stubble and re-introduction of the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee Act, scrapped in 2006 by the Nitish Kumar-led government.

RJD state president Jagdanand Singh has already directed party’s district presidents to mobilise workers for the event. They have been asked to finalise the spots in their respective districts for formation of the human chain.

“The human chain event would be a big show with huge participation. The grand alliance supports the repeal of the farm laws as sought by the agitating farmers and wants to highlight how the farm sector in Bihar has suffered due to scrapping of APMC Act. The preparations are in full swing,” said RJD state president.

CPI-ML (liberation) state president Kunal said the human chain would touch all district headquarters, state highways and national highways as well as blocks and gram panchayats and will be joined by leaders and party workers of all GA constituents. He said leaflets have been sent to the party’s district units to publicise the event for wider public participation.

“The human chain’s basic aim is to create consciousness that the Central government is working against the interest of farmers by trying to give private players greater control over the agriculture sector. In Bihar, the farmers are not getting MSP on their produce and it’s because of the scrapping of the APMC Act and the mandi system,” said Kunal.

“We are expecting participation of a few lakhs of people in the human chains this time,” he said, adding, the final route chart would be announced on January 25 after the meeting of all GA allies in Patna. “We have a plan to form the human chain in different pockets so that the city’s adjoining areas like Bihta and Maner are also connected,” he added.

The Congress, the CPI and the CPM as well as a large number of farmers’ bodies, aligned with the left parties, have also begun mobilising support for the event.