New Delhi: At a time when the central government is trying hard to convince the agitated farmers, Hannan Mollah, general secretary of All India Kisan Sabha and CPM Politburo member told ETV Bharat in an exclusive interview on Saturday that they will accept a new agriculture law instead of any present law with amendments.
"We are ready to accept a new law where both Central government and farming sector can give their suggestions. But we will not accept the existing law with amendments. Country's 70 crore farmers are against the existing law," said Mollah.
On the 17th day of the protest, agitating farmers are on a sit-in demonstration at the Singhu border and other borders surrounding Delhi.
Terming the three laws as anti-farmers, the agitating farmers are demanding the withdrawal of the law that includes the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Service Act, 2020, Framers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
"Government has announced a war against the farming community. When the first ordinance on agriculture came to the fore, we set ablaze its effigy across India. Now, we are fighting against the farm law for the last six months," said Mollah.
He said that in the name of talks, the government is repeating its same old stand.
"We are having a disease of Malaria and government want to give us the medicine for Cholera," quipped Mollah.
He claimed that the December 8 Bharat Bandh had a positive and wide response. "We hope the December 14 Delhi Chalo will be a huge one. People from five adjacent states to Delhi will take party in the agitational programme," Mollah said.
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He said that this is a historic movement witnessed in the last 40 years. "More than 500 organisations came together to raise their voice. In a democracy, the government always tries to listen to the voice of agitators and others...but at present, we have a fascist government in India," Mollah said.
When asked about opposition supporting the agitation, Mollah said that opposition parties are playing their own role.
"There is no contribution of the opposition parties in the present agitation. In fact, no opposition parties came to help us in the last six months. This is a farmers movement and we did not involve any opposition parties," said Mollah.
When asked about the solution of the current imbroglio, Mollah said that the ball is in the centre's court. "...But if the government insist to put pressure on us to fulfil their own agenda, there will be no end of the agitation," Mollah said.
