Rahul Gandhi wants Farm Laws repealed, BJP says roll back 'draconian' law in Punjab first

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi claimed that the Centre's farm laws were not only dangerous for the farmers and labourers, but were perilous to the nation and its citizens. The Congress MP from Wayanad demanded the Centre to repeal all three farm laws and noted that the 'peaceful' protest of the 'annadatas' was in the interest of the nation. However, Rahul Gandhi was slammed by BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia as the latter demanded an answer from the Congress government in Punjab regarding the draconian provisions of the contract farming law enacted in the state. 

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The contract farming law enacted in Punjab provides for the farmers to be liable to pay Rs 5 lakh fine or face a jail term of 5 months if they do not honour their contract. Slamming the Congress government for enacting laws with draconian provisions, BJP's Gaurav Bhatia asked Rahul Gandhi when the Captain Amarinder Singh-led government was going to repeal the 'black law'. Earlier, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya also shared a document on the contract farming law in Punjab and noted that the Centre had no such punitive provisions for the farmers in the three Farm Laws that were passed. 

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Farmers to stage Chakka jam

In an attempt to intensify the farmers' agitation against the Centre's three contentious farm laws, the protesting farmer groups have proposed to stage nationwide road blockage or "Chakka Jam" on Saturday. This 3-hour road blockade will take place between 12 pm to 3 pm across the country. While stating that no roads will be blocked in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait said that farmers in these states have been kept on standby and will be called to the national capital for protests. 

The umbrella body for the farmers' protest, Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), said, "There will be no blockade programme inside Delhi since all the protest sites are already in a "Chakka Jam" mode. All roads for entering into Delhi will remain open except where farmers' protest sites are already located."

READ | BJP's Amit Malviya Pulls Up Punjab Govt For 'draconian Provisions' In State's Own Farm Law

What are the Centre's farm laws?

The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 aims at freeing the farmers from the constraints of the state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby they would be able to sell their produce anywhere. Meanwhile, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to engage with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services. This entails the provision of contract farming. The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 specifies that the supply of foodstuffs including cereals, pulses, potato, edible oilseeds, and oils shall be regulated only under exceptional circumstances.

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