CM criticises Centre for anti-farmer policies

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 19

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said the Congress party had always been a well-wisher of farmers and would continue its fight for their rights.

He was addressing Kisan Khet Mazdoor rally organised by the Congress at Ramleela Maidan, New Delhi, where thousands of farmers and Congress party workers were present to raise their voice against the Centre’s proposed Land Acquisition Bill.

He launched an attack on the Centre for its anti-farmer policies favouring the industrial and corporate sectors.

Singh said the BJP government had brought amendments to the Land Acquisition ordinance to benefit industrialists and corporate sector. The Bill introduced through ordinance, was not only anti-farmer but was also against the soul and spirit of the Right to Fair Compensation law, he said.

While detailing about the contributions made by the Congress party to farmers and agricultural labourers, Singh said after the country got independence, it was the Congress which abolished the Jagirdari system and gave ownership rights to millions of tenant farmers.

Referring to the dubious stand of the BJP, he said when UPA government introduced the Land Acquisition Bill 2013 in Lok Sabha, then BJP being the main Opposition party supported and applauded it, but now after coming to power, they scrapped the pro-farmers’ clauses from the Bill.

Irrigation and Public Health Minister Vidya Stokes, Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur, Transport Minister GS Bali, Agriculture Minister Sujan Singh Pathania, Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr (Col) Dhaniram Shandil, Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma and other senior leaders of the party and MLAs also participated in the rally.