Opposition asks President to support farmers

A united Opposition of 20 different political parties including the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), DMK, Left parties et al on Wednesday urged President Ram Nath Kovind to persuade the Government to withdraw the three farm laws and the Electricity (Amendment) Bill as demanded by thousands of protesting farmers who have blocked entry points to Delhi for almost two weeks.

In a memorandum submitted to the President, Rahul Gandhi (Congress), Sharad Pawar (NCP), D. Raja (CPI), Sitaram Yechury (CPM), T. K. S. Elangovan (DMK) said over 20 political parties have extended their solidarity with the ongoing farmers’ agitation and the Bharat Bandh to press the demand for repeal of the three farm laws – the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services – as also the Electricity (Amendment) Bill.

“These new Agri-laws, passed in Parliament in an anti-democratic manner preventing a structured discussion and voting, threaten India’s food security, destroy Indian agriculture and our farmers. They lay the basis for the abolishment of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and mortgage Indian agriculture and our markets to the caprices of the multi-national agri-business corporates and domestic corporates,” said the Opposition leaders in their joint memorandum.

“We urge upon you, as the custodian of the Indian Constitution, to persuade ‘your government’ not to be obdurate and accept the demands raised by India’s annadatas,” the memorandum said.

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