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A after the Lok Sabha passed two contentious agriculture Bills, despite the opposition by BJP’s oldest ally Shiromani Akali Dal terming it as an “anti-farmer” move, farmers’ protests have spread in several States, including Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and western Uttar Pradesh. A protesting farmer in Punjab on Friday tried to commit suicide by consuming poisonous substance. Farmers’ organisations have decided to hold a “rail roko” agitation from September 24 to 26 in protest against the Bills. Thousands of farmers from western Uttar Pradesh held a sit in protest on the Delhi-Meerut expressway on Friday. The Congress has announced to launch a nationwide agitation against the farm Bills and is in talks with other Opposition parties to corner the Modi Government. Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal on Friday said Punjab alone would suffer a loss of 4,000 crore every year due to these legislations that will lead to mass destruction of rural livelihoods, increase farmer distress. “We have decided to hold a rail roko nationwide agitation from September 24 to 26 against the three agriculture legislations,” Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher said. Already, different farmer organisations in Punjab have given a call for a “bandh” on September 25. A protesting farmer has tried to commit suicide in Badal village, the hometown of the Badals, in Muktsar district. He ate poison on Friday morning around 6:30 and his condition is still critical. Thousands of farmers are sitting on dharna in Muktsar, Amritsar and other areas in Punjab under the banner of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Bhartiya Kisan Union, All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee and Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh. The farmers argue that the legislations would lead to the dismantling of the minimum support price (MSP) system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big corporates. According to Rakesh Tikait, Bharatiya Kisan Union, thousands of farmers have protested at the Delhi-Meerut Expressway against the passage of farm Bills. A member of Punjab Aarhtia Association, said, “These legislations will ruin the agriculture marketing infrastructure network created in the past five decades. Benod Anand of Rashtriya Kisan Mahasangh, an organisation of 62 farmers unions,” he said, adding that farmers will hit the road on September 24 across India. The Centre has brought the Bills without discussion with stakeholders, he alleged. “Agriculture falls in the State list of subjects,” he said, adding that the Union Government’s action impinges on the State’s rights. Traditionally at odds (farmers and arthiyas) are together in this one-on-one against the BJP-led Centre aided by Opposition parties, farmers’ organisations and activists. Perhaps the real issue is too technical and the threat of new ecosystem rendering MSP irrelevant more impacting. In Haryana, the members of the Bharatiya Kisan Union blocked the national highway-44 on September 10, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the agriculture ordinances. Protesters were also baton charged in Pipli near Haryana’s Kurukshetra, for defying the administration’s warnings during the coronavirus pandemic. Continued on Page 2

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