Left MPs protest outside Parliament; demand withdrawal of Centre's 'anti-farmer policies'

Agitated by the 'anti-farmers ordinance', Members of Parliament (MPs) of the Left parties on Tuesday staged a protest in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Parliament House premises, over their demand for withdrawal of the policy. The President promulgated Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Ordinance 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance Act, 2020.

CPI MP Binoy Viswam spoke to ANI and accused the government of attacking democracy in the name of COVID.

"Government in the name of COVID is unleashing an attack on democracy, Parliament and institutions under the Constitution. So Left parties, CPI, CPI-M we came here to register our protest," CPI MP Binoy Viswam told ANI. CPI-M's MP KK Ragesh said, "All the three ordinances are against the interest of the farmers and they are promulgated to save the interest of corporates. Thay is why we are opposed to it."

The three central laws, promulgated through ordinances on June 5 are facing massive protests by farmers groups in Haryana, UP, and other parts of the country after it was alleged that the ordinances would leave them at the mercy of market forces.

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Punjab CM Writes To PM Modi over 'anti-farmer ordinance'

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday urged the Prime Minister not to go ahead with their legislation of 'anti-farmer ordinance' that was presented in the Parliament earlier today. Punjab government also refuted Centre’s claim that Punjab was taken on board before the promulgation of the anti-farmer Ordinances.

The CM is slated to lead an 11-member delegation of his party on Wednesday to submit a memorandum to the Governor against the Ordinances. An official spokesperson said that the delegation will include Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar along with some ministers and MLAs of the party.

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What are the three ordinances?

The Government has rolled out 3 ordinances namely-- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance, and Farm Services Ordinance and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance.

As per PRS India, the first ordinance - Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance seeks to provide for barrier-free trade of farmers’ produce outside the markets notified under the various state agricultural produce market laws (state APMC Acts). The Ordinance will prevail over state APMC Acts.

As per PRS India, the second ordinance - the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance essentially talks about contract farming that allows farmers to sell their produce outside of the APMC via a “framework for farmers to enter into direct contracts with those who wish to buy farm produce”. 

As per PRS India, the third ordinance - the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance amends the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and empowers the central government to control the production, supply, distribution, trade, and commerce in certain commodities. The Ordinance seeks to increase competition in the agriculture sector and enhance farmers’ income.  It aims to liberalise the regulatory system while protecting the interests of consumers. 

READ: Punjab CM writes to PM Modi; urges him to not go ahead with 'anti-farmer ordinances'

READ: Punjab: Farmers protest Centre's farm ordinances

(with inputs from agencies)

(Image credits: ANI)