Amid the ongoing farmers’ stir, Bihar BJP on Sunday launched a 13 day outreach campaign to dispel farmers’ concerns over the new farm laws with Union minister for law Ravi Shankar Prasad and state president Sanjay Jaiswal holding a meeting in Patna to stress that the three heavily-contested laws were beneficial for farmers and would cut the middlemen system in the sale of agricultural produce.
Prasad said that Bihar, having scrapped the agricultural marketing boards in 2006, was witness to transformation in the farm sector with farmers getting higher income with the freedom to sell their produce anywhere in the state.
The farmers in the state were now also producing pineapples, strawberries and litchis in bigger quantities, he said.
“I want to clarify that farmers would not have to mortgage their land or sell their land. Under the laws, if a company enters into a contract with any farmers to buy a certain product, the company would provide the farmers better agricultural techniques and seeds. What is wrong in it?” he asked.
He stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always wanted farmers to become prosperous.
“What is wrong if a farmer has the freedom to sell his produce anywhere in the country instead of just having the option of selling it at Mandis?” he reasoned.
Prasad also alleged that the “tukdey tukdey” gang was rallying behind the farm protests and added the government would not allow them to succeed. “ I do not want to name these people. Police have filed charge sheets against them for indulging in Delhi riots and they are unable to get bail. There are now voices being raised to free such so-called intellectuals,” he said, apparently referring to the posters put up at Tikri border for release of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Varavara Rao and Sudha Bharadwaj and others booked under Unlawful Activities ( Prevention) Act.
Prasad said that only one section of farmers opposing the laws are in the favour of selling produce only in markets of agricultural marketing boards. Prasad added that the Congress, which was now backing farmer agitation, had promised to scrap the practice of marketing boards in its manifesto in 2019.
Bihar BJP president, Jaiswal, said that the ongoing farmers stir was being backed by forces who believe in dividing the country. He claimed that only farmers from Punjab were against the farm laws and accused them of being supporters of a ‘middleman system’ in the sale of agricultural produce.
“The farmers wanted an assured minimum support price (MSP). The central government agreed to give a written undertaking. But now, they want repeal of the laws. This is all a conspiracy by anti-India forces. Voices are being raised in support of Omar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, who are facing grave charges of making statements against the country. This shows anti- national elements are behind the protests,” Jaiswal said.
The BJP’s campaign will run in all the 243 Assembly constituencies spanning the 38 districts, where party leaders and workers will hold corner meetings with farmers. All the union ministers from the state will participate in the events.
“The protesting farmers are behaving in such a manner as if they represent the entire farming community in the country. That’s why the state BJP has decided to launch the campaign in support of the new laws,” Jaiswal said.
Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, are protesting against the new farm laws which they claim will dilute the minimum support price system and leave them vulnerable to exploitation by corporates and hurt their income.
They are protesting against the three new laws — Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
The CPI-ML( liberation) has meanwhile announced the launch of Kisan Sangharsh yatra across the state to drum up support against the newly enacted three farm laws and to corner the BJP led NDA government over the issue. The Left party has also decided to support a march of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee on December 29.
