Farm laws: Punjab BJP sets up 8-member panel to talk to farmers

The Punjab unit of BJP on Tuesday constituted an eight-member committee to reach out to farmers to apprise them of the benefits of the new farm laws, which have triggered protests by peasants and opposition parties in different parts of the country. Punjab BJP president Ashwani Sharma, who constituted the committee, said the panel members would talk to the agitating farmers and make them aware of the benefits of the new laws for the peasant community.

Farmers in Punjab and some other parts of the country are opposing the farm laws, dubbing them as “anti-farmers”. Former Punjab Minister, Surjit Jyani, has been nominated as the chairman of the committee, Sharma said. The other members of the committee include National Kisan Morcha's former general secretary Harjit Singh Grewal, its present secretary Sukhminder Singh Grewal and former president of National Kisan Morcha, Jatinder Singh Atwal.

Ashwani Sharma said the committee would also hold discussions with the agitating farmers and take note of their reservations and demands. The committee will also get in touch with the leaders of the various farmer organisations of the state and talk to them.  The committee will later submit a detailed report to him within ten days, he said.

Farmers in Punjab have been protesting against the new laws meant to deregulate the sale of their crops, with their unions saying that these legislations will lead to the dismantling of the minimum support price (MSP) system. The Congress, along with other opposition parties and farmers' organisations, held demonstrations against the new farm laws across the country on Monday. 

President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday assented to the three contentious bills - the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020. 

(Image Credits: PTI)

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