AIKSCC warns government of nationwide unrest over farm bills

AIKSCC on Monday slammed Centre's farm bills and said that they will approach the President and request him not to approve the bills. The leaders of Working Committee of AIKSCC on Monday also called for social boycott of all parties who have supported these bills.

New Delhi: All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee on Monday announced that they will approach the President of India and request him not to sign on the Farm Bill passed in the upper house on Sunday.

The Federation of farmer union has also started preparation for nationwide resistance against the bills. AIKSCC has called for complete shut down in Punjab and Haryana on September 25. Reportedly, the protests will be held in all other states as well. The Farmers' committee is also miffed over their voice not being heard by the government. Minister of Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar on Sunday while talking to media said that government is always ready to meet farmers and clear their doubts. However, AIKSCC leaders claimed that they had written to the Prime Minister on the issue of these bills and requested an appointment to meet and discuss their issues on these bills more than a month back.

"We believe in dialogue first and therefore the unions associated with the AIKSCC had written more than a hundred letters on August 9 but nobody got any response from his side. We tried to engage with the government even before these bills were introduced in the parliament. We were not in the favour of protests, we tried to approach the government but this government seems not interested" said Avik Saha, Co Convener AIKSCC while addressing a virtual media conference today. He also added that AIKSCC has warned government of nationwide unrest if MSP is not guaranteed and crop price/procurement security and food security of poor is handed over to MNCs and corporate. A meeting of constituent unions of AIKSCC will also be held in Delhi on September 27 where the largest conglomerate of farmers' union will decide it's future course of action.

The leaders of Working Committee of AIKSCC on Monday also called for social boycott of all parties who have supported these bills. "Modi Government has been anti farmer ever since they came to power in 2014. These three bills are new way of corporatization of agriculture by this government and so we are opposing it. The whole idea of these bills is a takeover of farmers land and seed market by the multinationals. Soon after these bills, MSP will go away and FCI will stop procuring from farmers. The government is just paving the way for big private companies through these bills which is undemocratic" said Atul Anjan, senior CPI leader and General Secretary All India Kisan Mahasabha.

The farmer leaders also slammed the government for the way these bills were passed on Sunday amid protests by opposition party MPs. "Prime Minister assured that MSP will be there as it is but we want gurantee of MSP and this is the main agenda of AIKSCC. How can we trust him when he did not fulfill his promise over MSP he made in 2014. Modi promised MSP at C2+50 percent formula but later on gave A2+FL" said VM Singh, Convener AIKSCC.

The farmer's leaders have also appealed to trade unions, political parties and others to support their movement against the three farm bills.