Farmers outfits demand roll back of Farm Ordinances
Under 3-days’ farmers rail-roko protest, Basti Tankan Wali railway track blocked on first day
Ferozepur, September 24, 2020: Under the three days’ farmers rail-roko protest to withdraw three farm ordinances, the Basti Tankan Wali railway track in Ferozepur was blocked today by the thousands of farmers.
The farmers are demanding a roll back of the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020.
Fearing a discontinuation of the minimum support price (MSP) regime, farmers, labourers including women, under the Kisan Mazdoor Sangarsh Committee, Punjab, raised anti-government slogans and displayed their dissent against the recent ordinances passed by the Modi government concerning agriculture sector.
As a precautionary measures, the railways have already withdrawn the 14 pairs of special passengers trains in Ferozepur division to avoid inconvenience to the passengers and loss to the property.
Speaking on the occasion, State President, Satnam Singh Pannu said, in protest against the passing of three anti-farmers ordinances, by the Modi government, to put control of corporate houses on the agriculture business and essential commodities and ignoring the constitutional powers, a three days protest of rail roko has started today.
Thousands of farmers, labouerers and family members, the railway track at Basti Tankan Wali was blocked by putting up a tent on the railway lines.
Today’s protest of the farmers have been supported by various outfits – farmers, government teachers unions, agriculture employees union, public organizations, milk union, taxi union, arthia association, munim and palledar union and participating in the protest.
Pannu said, the protest against the black ordinances is nationwide which is anti-farmers and condemned the lathi-charge and water-cannons on the protesters in certain part of the country.
Making it clear, he said, the MPs who have supported the passing of these bills will not be allowed to visit the villages.
Farmers outfits demanded to roll back the passed ordinances and accept all genuine demands of the farmers by implanting Dr.Swaminathan’s report. Rejecting the minor increase of Rs.50 in the MSP, he said, the price should be fixed by adding the 50 percent profit on the actual expenses on the production of the produce to the minimum of Rs.3300 per qtl.