New Delhi: After BJP's oldest ally, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Saturday quit the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the Congress asked all the other political parties to join together and oppose the farm bills against the Central Government.
While addressing a press conference, Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee Chief, Kumari Shailja asked Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) to break their alliance with BJP in Haryana and stand with the farmers.
"Open your eyes and join forces with the farmers," she said.
Sunil Jakhar, Punjab PCC Chief who was also present in the press conference said, "The soul of Choudhary Devi Lal must be cringing today to see his party and Dushyant Chautala supporting BJP on these black bills which will make farmers bonded labourers."
He also asked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar if he is ready to take back 16.70 lakh migrant labourers, 80 per cent of who used to work as farm labourers in Punjab.
He said, "There are just 57 mandis in Bihar right now with 10 crore population in the state, whereas in Punjab there are 1950 mandis with 3 crore of population. The Government wants to run away from its responsibilities and it doesn't want our farmers to be self-reliant. This contract farming is nothing but bonded labour."
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Kumari Shailja stated that all the allies of BJP, including Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP), Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), Janata Dal (United) (JDU), Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) need to hear the plight and cries of the farmers as these bills will break the back of farmers and they will be left at the mercy of corporates.
She also slammed Akali Dal for "enacting a drama while quitting NDA".
Slamming Akali Dal's decision of quitting NDA, Jakhar said, "PM and BJP leaders did not even once nudge Harsimrat Kaur to return once since she resigned from the Cabinet. No one gave time to Akalis to even meet and therefore they had to quit."
Amid farmers agitation across the nation, the Union Government had recently decided to advance the procurement of paddy for a week, asking the state governments to begin operations from Saturday, which was scheduled to occur on October 1. However, the Government of India is yet to release Cash Credit Limit (CCL) advance to Punjab for procurement.
While replying to ETV Bharat's question on the matter, Sunil Jakhar said, "They are trying to divert the country's attention from real issues relating to the plight of the farmers and their anguish which is reflected in all these protests. Rs 33,000 crore has been withheld, mandis have opened up formally, but there is neither a Government agency nor enough money to purchase it."
"They are trying to arm-twist the Punjab Government and withhold Rs 650 crore which has already been pending from last year's wheat procurement. They are putting in regulations which are non-acceptable. If Punjab accepts it, then it will create a fisher between commission agents (arthiyas) and farmers," he further alleged.
Jakhar also explained, "In Haryana, there is 2.5 per cent commission for the agents. BJP had used a fancy trick and quantified it, saying that they will give Rs 46. Whereas, 2.5 per cent commission of wheat price amounts to Rs 48.13. Haryana Government has been funded by the Central Government, but Punjab Government hasn't received our dues of GST. Now, they want Punjab Government to pay to the commission agents or they will withhold CCL limit."
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Congress has been opposing the three bills proposed by the Central Government during the Monsoon session. The grand old party has also organized a nationwide agitation under which 2 crore signatures of farmers will be collected on a memorandum, urging the President of India not to go ahead with these bills.
The Congress leader said, "Rather than understanding why farmers are protesting, they are bulldozing these bills on the farmers due to their arrogance. It's not democratic that farmers have to sit on a dharna to get their dues. We are only asking for the fair price of MSP, which the Government itself had fixed."
