AIKSCC Maharashtra demands Centre's farm laws to be repealed, MSP to be increased

The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) demanded the farm laws to be repealed and a Minimum Selling Price (MSP) equal to 1.5 times the cost of production for securing their livelihood and preventing large scale exploitation. The AIKSCC asked ruling Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress-led MVA government to take an unequivocal stand on the three disputed farm laws and sought a fair resolution for agricultural commodities be passed in the state's Assembly. The protests are ongoing since November 26, 2020 and continues to cause unrest in numerous areas of the country.

The disputed farm laws and their repercussions

The farm laws are The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act. These laws have been a topic of debate and protest across the states. The laws would primarily allow free market trade of food commodities and allow farmers to enter into contracts with private parties for supply. While the laws make space for privatisation, it is being heavily protested by farmers in Maharashtra and Delhi, among other states.

The farmers protest is based on concerns over privatisation of the industry, which could lead to them being exploited by large corporations, due to their inability to comprehend all the legal repercussions of the contracts. The Maharashtra state government is trying to bring in new farms laws to protect the farmers from completely free market regulations, by making changes to the original farm laws passed by the Centre. The AIKSCC, in response to the Maharashtra government's action to amend the farm laws, stated, "Making amendment to the draft of the Central laws will not change the purpose behind the enactment of the laws nor will it change the character of the laws.”

(Image: PTI)