Punjab farmers reject Centre's invite to discuss farms laws

Even after the Central government made attempts to discuss the farms bills with the farmers, the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee has declined the government's invitation. The organisation is of the view that these bills will benefit corporates and increase the risk for the farmers.

Chandigarh: Refusing the Centre's invitation to talk on farm bills, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee has decided not to discuss anything related to farms laws as they think the government is 'not serious' about the issue.

"We got a telephone call from Union Agriculture Minister yesterday. He also sent a mail asking us to come to Delhi for a meeting on Oct 8. We've decided that we won't participate in any meeting as govt is not serious," said Sarvan Singh Pandher, State Secy of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee

"The entire farming sector will be dominated by big corporates like Ambani, Adani and the government is trying to mislead us. All the farm bills are 'anti-farmers and are pro-corporate'," said Pandher.

"Haryana farmers were lathi-charged by the cops when they were protesting against the bills. The police personnel fired tear gas shells and our organisation totally condemns it. This is all done at the behest of BJP Government," he added.

Earlier, the Centre wrote to the Committee expressing their willingness to talk on the farm bills issue.

"Your committee has expressed concerns over #FarmBills. I would like to invite you to a meeting on Oct 8 at Krishi Bhawan, Delhi. We would like to address your concerns," said Secy, Dept of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare in a letter to Gen Secy, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee.

The development comes after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi held a three-day tractor rally in Punjab against the recently enacted agriculture laws.

READ: No one's opposing farm laws, people are confused: Gangwar

Addressing Kisan Bachao (Save Farmers) rally, he said, "The BJP govt is bringing the farming infrastructure down as well. If this happens, then, on the one hand, there will be no jobs, and on the other, there will be no food.”

He reiterated that the current farming infrastructure has loopholes and needs to be strengthened.

Massive protests have erupted in various parts of Punjab and Haryana against the contentious farm bills. The opposition parties have claimed that the farmers will be left at the mercy of 'corporates' and these newly-inducted bills will prove to be a death warrant for them.

However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called the passage of bills in the Parliament as the 'watershed' moment in the Indian history and said that opposition is trying to mislead the farmers. BJP claimed that these bills will strengthen the farmers, make them atamnirbhar and will free them from the clutches of middlemen.

With agency inputs