Farmers, labourers demand rollback of farm ordinances

Tribune News Service

Advertisement

Shimla, August 9

Hundreds of labourers and farmers staged a protest here today against the ‘anti-labourer’ and ‘anti-farmer’ policies of the state, demanding withdrawal of changes in the labour law and agriculture ordinances, stopping the sale of public enterprises, fixing of labourers’ wages at Rs 21,000, putting an end to their retrenchment and granting 10 kg ration free of cost every month.

The protestors took to the streets in response to the call given by several national trade unions and farmer organisations to celebrate the day as ‘Bharat Bachao Divas’ and ‘Kisan Mukti Divas’.

The protesting leaders said the government was using the pandemic to exploit farmers and labourers by changing the labour law and introducing three agriculture ordinances. “The working hours for labourers have been increased from eight to 12. It will result in retrenchment of several labourers, and exploitation of the ones who are retained,” the leaders said.

They also slammed the government to sell public enterprises to the private sector. “By handing over the public enterprises into private hands, the government is hurting the country’s efforts to become self-dependant.”