‘Centre underplaying farmer protests’

Farm laws only to help corporates, says AIKS leader

All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) joint secretary Vijoo Krishnan launched a scathing attack on the BJP dispensation at the Centre accusing it of bringing the three farm laws during the pandemic for “corporate profiteering”, unlocking the doors for “corporate loot.”

Undeterred by the biting cold, farmers are spearheading the historic struggle against the three farm legislations with firm resolve and overwhelming support from all sections of society, he asserted, reiterating that the struggle will continue until the three “anti-farmer” legislations are withdrawn.

Mr. Krishnan, who is well known for his active association with the students and farmers movements across the country since 1995, took part in the “Rythu Jatha”, the State-wide bus yatra of the Telangana Rythu Sangham in the district on Friday.

He addressed a series of meetings at Thallada, Wyra, Bonakal, Maddulapalli and Teldarpalli in the district.

The bus yatra is being organised in support of the ongoing farmers’ protest at the Delhi borders against the three laws related to agriculture.

CPI (M) district secretary N. Nageswara Rao, Telangana Rythu Sangham district president B. Rambabu, secretary M. Ramesh, Girijana Sangham district secretary B. Veerabhadram, and others accompanied the yatra.

Addressing a roadside meeting in Wyra, Mr. Krishnan alleged that the Centre instead of helping farmers during the worst distress period of pandemic brought the three farm laws to benefit big corporate entities.

“The Narendra Modi government has made different promises to farmers since 2014 but failed to deliver on them,” he charged, alleging that the BJP regime has so far not implemented the M S Swaminathan Commission recommendations including the formula of MSP C2+50%.

More than 12,000 farmers are committing suicide every year in the country as per the government records, he said, adding that the actual number is much more due to the deepening agrarian crisis.

At a time when all sections of people including more than 20 crore workers had lost their livelihoods due to the pandemic crisis, the Centre instead of helping the distressed people waived ₹ 68,000 crore loan amount for corporate wilful loan defaulters, Mr. Krishnan charged.

In these circumstances the three laws were enacted without following proper democratic procedures heedless of widespread opposition and protests from all quarters, he flayed.

The Centre’s proposal to freeze the implementation of the farm laws for one-and-a-half years is not acceptable and the farmers struggle will continue until the government repeals the three agricultural laws, he asserted, demanding that the Electricity (Amendment) Bill and cases booked against the demonstrators be withdrawn.

He said the Centre has not realised the actual impact of the struggle and trying to “underplay” it. Massive demonstrations with thousands of tractors will be held at the designated centres across the country for three-days from January 23 coinciding with the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

Mazdoor Kisan parades featuring rallies and dharnas will be organised in all the States on January 26 to press for scrapping of the three farm laws, he affirmed.

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