Farmers’ agitation dominates second day of discussion on Governor’s address

Bhartesh Singh Thakur
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 9  

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The farmers’ agitation on three central farm laws dominated the discussion on Governor’s address for the second day in Haryana Assembly on Tuesday.

Treasury benches accused the opposition of misleading farmers. The Congress leaders called for giving the status of martyrs to farmers who lost their lives during the agitation on Haryana borders and also demanded financial assistance for their families.

Two Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) MLAs, Jogi Ram Sihag and Ram Kumar Gautam, spoke against the farm laws.

Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala said farmers were being misled on Minimum Support Price (MSP) that it would end.

He said, “In fact, during our rule, more crops are being included in the ambit of the MSP. The mandis will not end but they will be strengthened.”

Attacking the Congress, he said it was during their rule the law on contract farming was brought but now they were opposing a similar law brought by the Central government.

Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda countered, “We are not against private investment in agriculture. Our law ensured purchase through MSP in contract farming and our amendment was making the purchase below MSP a penal offence.”

Earlier, starting the discussion today, BJP MLA Assem Goyal said neither the MSP nor mandis would end. He claimed that Punjab Congress leader Navjot Sidhu had praised Haryana’s procurement system.

When he accused Congress of farmers’ suicides during their rule and grabbing their land under land acquisition law, ruckus started. Congress MLAs entered the well of the house.

Former minister and Congress MLA Kiran Choudhry said farmers, small entrepreneurs, and unemployed youth present the real picture of the state today and not the rosy image created in Governor’s address.

“Fun was made of farmers’ death by a minister. We have seen lathi-charge and use of water canon against farmers. Nails were dug on their way to stop them,” she said.

Former minister Raghubir Singh Kadian accused the government of snapping power, water, and internet at the protest sites at Haryana borders.

“The National Investigation Agency (NIA) sent notices to farmers’ leaders. Sedition cases are filed against them. Farmers are called parasites. This is fascism,” he said.

Congress MLA BB Batra described the BJP-JJP administration as a “government of scams”.

“Liquor scam, paddy scam and recruitment scam have taken place under this government. PTI and art and craft teachers also lost their jobs because of the government.”

While taking a jibe at the ruling alliance, Deputy CLP leader Aftab Ahmed said their CM, ministers, and MLAs were not able to visit their constituencies due to farmers’ backlash. “Are we misleading them?” he asked.

JJP MLA Jogi Ram Sihag said that farmers’ agitation was the biggest movement in Haryana and state peasants were apprehensive about three central farm laws.

He called for enacting a new law by the state legislature to guarantee MSP. Another JJP MLA Ram Kumar Gautam said the House should pass a resolution urging the Central government to hold the implementation of the laws till 2024.

Towards the end, Rewari Congress MLA Chiranjivi Rao said, “Please do not get CBI or ED to raid an MLA if he votes for us during the no-confidence motion.”

BJP MLAs Deepak Mangla, KL Middha, Vinod Bhayana, and Kamal Gupta supported the government during the discussion.