Sharad Pawar threatens Centre to resolve farmers' issue soon
Dec 06, 2020
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 6 : Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief and former Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Sunday accused that the Centre passed the agricultural laws in haste and warned that if the situation is not resolved soon more farmers from across the country will join the protest.
"Farmers from Punjab and Haryana are the main producers of wheat and paddy, and they are protesting. If the situation is not resolved soon, we will see farmers from across the country joining them, " Pawar said on the ongoing farmers' protest who have been asking for repealing of the farm laws.
The former Agriculture Minister also said that the farmers' protest would not be limited to the national capital, farmers from all across the country may join the protest.
"When Bill was being passed, we had requested government that they should not be in a hurry, it should be sent to Select Committee and a discussion is needed, but that didn't happen and the Bill was passed in haste. Now the government is facing problems because of that haste," Pawar said commenting on the procedure adopted to pass the farm laws.
Meanwhile, the protest by farmers agitating against the three agriculture laws passed by the Centre entered its eleventh day today with demonstrations in Sant Nirankari Samagam ground in Burari on the outskirts of Delhi and other border areas.
A nationwide shutdown has been called by the protesting farmers on December 8.
Farmers are protesting against the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary on Sunday reiterated that the three laws passed by the government are in favour of the farmers, and added that laws will not be repealed, but if necessary, the government will make some amendments to the Acts to acknowledge agitating farmer's demands.
"These laws passed by the government will give freedom to farmers. We always said farmers should have the right to sell their crop wherever they want. Even Swaminathan Commission's report recommends' that. I don't think the laws should be repealed. If necessary, some amendments to the Acts will be made to acknowledge agitating farmer's demands.," said Choudhary.
He reassured the farmers that, as the government has said previously, the minimum support price (MSP) for crops will continue, and the Centre is ready to give it in writing as well.
Meanwhile, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) have extended their support to the farmers' call for Bharat Bandh on December 8.
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao announced his party's support to the Bharat Bandh call and said the TRS rank and file would participate actively in the proposed nationwide shutdown.
