This story is from November 6, 2020

Farmers take to streets against new farm laws

Farmers take to streets against new farm laws
Farmers under the aegis of Navnirman Krushak Sangathan block NH 16 at Hi-Tech Hospital Square in Bhubaneswar on Thursday
BHUBANESWAR/SAMBALPUR: Farmers under the banner of Navnirman Krushak Sangathan (NKS), Paschim Odisha Krushak Sangathan Samanwaya Samiti (POKSSS) and other outfits on Thursday staged road blockades in Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur and other parts of the state in protest against the new farm laws of the Centre.
Extending support to the call of ‘Chakka Jam’ by All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) across the country, farmers led by NKS convener Akshay Kumar blocked NH-16 near Hi-Tech Hospital Square in Bhubaneswar.

“The farm laws are anti-farmer in nature and they will leave the small and marginal farmers in distress. These laws are designed to help corporate houses. It is a conspiracy to weaken the minimum support price (MSP) practice in the country. We reject these laws,” said Akshay Kumar.
The farmers blocked the NH-16 for around an hour. Some of them had a face-off with police while the latter were clearing the highway. Police detained a few farmers and later released them. The peasants also demanded amendment to the relief code to hike crop loss compensation amount.
Members of several farmer organisations under the aegis of AIKSCC staged a demonstration at Master Canteen Square in the capital city, opposing the laws. AIKSCC state convenor Suresh Panigrahy said farmers will lose price and prestige because of contract farming. “Poor farmers cannot fight with corporate houses if the agreement is violated,” he added.
The leader said there is nothing called essential commodities under the new laws, which will pave way for businessmen to resort to unlimited hoarding and black marketing. “It will create artificial scarcity, as a result of which the consumers will suffer a lot,” he added.

Similar demonstrations were organised by farmers in western Odisha under the banner of POKSSS on Thursday. The farmers blocked roads for an hour from 11 am to noon at different places across western Odisha to protest against the new farm laws.
In Sambalpur, farmers blocked the NH-55 at Maneswar. Hundreds of vehicles remained stranded on either side of the highway for an hour. “We blocked the road as a part of our symbolic protest. We will intensify the agitation against the new farm laws in the days to come,” said convener of the POKSSS, Ashok Pradhan.
He said the Centre claims that the farmers will be benefited by the new laws. “If the laws are really beneficial, instead of going to villages, their leaders should debate with us. If they can convince us about the advantages of the laws, the farmers will refrain from agitation,” he added.
According to the farmers, the new farm laws will dismantle the mandi system and the Food Corporation of India (FCI). Moreover, the MSP has not been ensured in the new laws. This apart, in contract farming, there is every possibility that the corporates and companies will violate the agreement, said a farmer.
Farmers also blocked roads in Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Sonepur, Deogarh, Balangir and Kalahandi.
End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA