Congress protests Farmer's Act, writes to Prez seeking repeal of ‘3 black laws’

Congress has intensified its opposition to what are being termed as the “three black laws” namely Farmers Produce, Trade and Commerce (promotion and facilitation) Bill 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance Farm Services Bill 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020. 

The Chalo Raj Bhavan-Anti Farmers Law Protest Rally was led by Congress president Girish Chodankar and Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat.

The delegation also forwarded a memorandum to the President of India through the Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. 

“Modi government has unleashed a diabolical conspiracy against India’s farmers and farming sector. Sixty-two crore farmers are agitating across India, over 250 farmers’ organizations are sitting on dharna, hunger strikes and are protesting,” reads the memorandum which requests the President to intervene and ensure that these laws and withdrawn and repealed forthwith. 

Addressing the media after the rally, Chodankar said that Congress Party will continue its agitation till the anti-farmer laws are withdrawn. He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has amended the act to help the crony capitalists who are his friends. 

“The PM wants to make rich people richer at the cost of farmers’ welfare,” Chodankar lashed out.

Kamat pointed out that while the President has already accorded his assent to the three anti-farmer bills despite opposition from farmers and from Congress, all is still not lost. “Congress now wants the Central Government to withdraw the laws as they are completely against the farming sector,” he said.

Former MLA Agnelo Fernandes also spoke on the occasion and warned the government of more aggressive protests if it does not withdraw the anti-farmer laws.

Meanwhile, Chodankar also demanded that in light of the protests from villagers in Shel-Melaulim, the proposed IIT project should be shifted on the barren land earlier allotted to SEZs.