Farm laws will destroy agriculture sector: CPM

Jammu, September 27

Demonstrations and rallies were held across Jammu district on Monday in support of the Bharat Bandh called by farmers to demand repeal of the Centre’s three agri laws.

Led by CPM leader MY Tarigami, hundreds of activists and farmers took out a rally and sat on a dharna on the main road here, leading to disruption of traffic.

Addressing the activists, Tarigami said the laws were bound to “destroy the agriculture sector and threaten India’s food security”.

“Besides, these laws will lay the basis for abolishment of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and mortgage the country’s agriculture and markets to the corporate sector,” he said.

Om Prakash, General Secretary of Centre of Indian Trade Unions, said there was a need to strengthen worker-peasant unity to fight the “neo-liberal policies and attack on the livelihood” of farmers and working class.

A similar demonstration was held in Srinagar where farmer leaders Abdul Rashid Pandit, Qadir Hafroo and Abdul Rashid Itoo demanded MSP for farm produce.

Many non-NDA parties extended support to the nationwide 10-hour strike on Monday called by farmers protesting against the three agri laws under the aegis of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM). The government and farmer unions have held 11 rounds of talks so far, the last being on January 22, to break the deadlock over the new farm laws. — PTI