Former Minister Demands Revocation of Farm Bills, Cites Anti-Farmer Consequences

Strategic Insights -

Former Minister and Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) President, Dr. Manohar Lal Sharma, has expressed strong opposition to the recently passed farm bills, terming them "anti-farmer" and "anti-agriculture". He demands the central government to revoke the bills and initiate extensive consultations with stakeholders, including farmers' organizations, traders, and agriculture experts, to amend them. Dr. Sharma accuses the Centre of "betraying" farmers and not consulting them on the issue, which he claims is a state subject.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill were passed in Parliament to replace ordinances.
  • Dr. Manohar Lal Sharma, former Minister and JKPCC President, has termed the farm bills as "anti-farmer" and demanded their revocation.
  • The Centre was accused of not consulting farmers' organizations, political parties, or states before introducing the bills, despite the issue being a state subject.
  • Dr. Sharma predicts that contract farming will be detrimental to small farmers, making them "servants of companies", and suggests mass farming by small farmers at the village level as an alternative.
  • He questioned the government's promise of Minimum Support Price (MSP) to farmers when big contractors will purchase their production.
  • The former Minister believes that the bills will only promote hoarding, harming the interests of farmers and consumers.

Statistics:

  • The Centre introduced three ordinances related to farm bills during the pandemic, allegedly without urgency.
  • Dr. Manohar Lal Sharma accused the Modi government of being "anti-farmer" from the beginning.
  • He claimed the Congress party, under Rahul Gandhi's leadership, successfully forced the government to withdraw an ordinance related to the compensation law for farmers.

Sources:

  • Early Times (article not dated, but published on September 23)
  • HT Digital Content Services (Syndicated)
  • SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info)