'Rail roko' agitation by Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee against farm bills continues in Amritsar for fourth consecutive day
Sep 27, 2020
Amritsar (Punjab) [India], September 27 : Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee continued their 'rail roko' agitation in Devidaspura village here for the fourth consecutive day against the farm Bills passed in Parliament.
"All farmers unions have come here and are protesting against the Centre's farm bills. This agitation will continue until the Modi government does not take back its black laws. Farmers should get their rights," Honey Bhalla, a protester told ANI.
The protesters under the banner of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee have blocked the railway tracks by putting up a tent on the railway lines at Devidaspura, a village on the city outskirts. They are raising anti-government slogans and demanding rollback of farm bills.
The agitation which was scheduled to conclude on September 26, but has been extended by three days.
"We are protesting here in Devidaspura for the last three days. We recite prayers in the morning and continue to sit on protest. It will be continued till September 29. We are demanding the Bills' cancellation. The number of protesters is increasing. People are coming here in large numbers against the Modi government's dangerous farm Bills," said Gurucharan Singh Chabba, Secretary of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee's Amritsar unit.
"The farm Bills passed by Parliament will help the big corporates as they will be able to hoard the crops. It will end the mandi system," he added.
State general secretary (Committee) Sarwan Singh Pandher said, "We will protest in various parts of Punjab. This rail roko agitation will continue across the country. It has become a people's movement now. I thank all who are protesting against the Bill. We will review the agitation on September 28, depending upon the situation. We will force the government to withdraw the Bill."
Similar protests against the farm legislations have been witnessed in various parts of the country including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Odisha.
According to the Centre, these Bills will help small and marginal farmers by allowing them to sell produce outside 'mandis' and sign agreements with agri-business firms and doing away with stock-holding limits on key commodities.
The Parliament recently passed The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
