Congress announces an all-India protest from 24 Sept against the farm bill

Last updated on February 15th, 2023 at 01:12 pm

On Monday, the Congress party announced to organize an all-India protest from 24 September against the passing of farm bills in Parliament after the party meeting. 

Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal stated that a meeting was called on the directions of president Sonia Gandhi and party member Rahul Gandhi to discuss the matter. The Congress party will likewise be collect signatures of around two crore farmers to present a memorandum against the enactment which will later be submitted to the president.

On 18 Sept, even Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigned from the post of Union Minister of Food Processing Industries in protest over the new agriculture legislation. The bills have set off strong agitation in farmers of Haryana and Punjab.

A week ago, the two controversial farm bills – the Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and the Farmer’s (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 were passed the lower house and on Sunday, passed in the Upper House after a lot of chaos. Presently, just President Ramnath Kovind’s signature is left to transform these into law.

On 21 Sept, around 18 opposition parties have written to the President highlighting their concerns and urging him not to mark the bills. Many MPs are likewise sitting on an indefinite protest inside the premises of the Parliament. 

K.C. Venugopal said, “We will start with press meet in each State. All-State units will convey memorandum to their individual Governors following a march towards Raj Bhavans. We will mark Oct 2 as ‘Save Farmers and Farm Labourers Day’. And, a State-level Kisaan Sammelans will be held on Oct 10, The Hindustan Times reported.

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Attacking the opposition, Modi said a couple of people are attempting to “misdirect and incite the farmers” as they “feel that control is slipping away from their hands.” the farm bills are required for 21st century India.”  PM Modi reinstated that these laws are not against agriculture ‘mandi’, they will proceed as always. He assured that all farmers that the Minimum Support Price system will proceed as in the past,” The Indian Express reported.