Farmers' Stir: Opposition Delegation Including Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar Meet President Ram Nath Kovind, Seek Repeal of Farm Laws
A delegation of opposition leaders on Wednesday met President Ram Nath Kovid and urged him to persuade the central government to listen to the farmers protesting against the farm laws.
New Delhi, December 9: A delegation of opposition leaders on Wednesday met President Ram Nath Kovid and urged him to persuade the central government to listen to the farmers protesting against the farm laws. The delegation, comprising Congress lawmaker Rahul Gandhi, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, CPI leader D Raja, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechuri and DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan, also submitted a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind. Farmers Reject Govt Proposal, Call For Boycott of All Adani and Reliance Products Including Jio SIMs.
"More than twenty different political parties including many parties running state governments, have extended their solidarity with the ongoing historic struggle of the Indian peasantry and extended wholehearted support to their call for a Bharat Bandh yesterday, December 8 demanding the appeal of the retrograde Agri-Laws and Electricity Amendment Bill," the memorandum stated. Farmers' Protest: Centre, In Proposal Sent to Farmers, Says 'Ready to Give Written Assurance on Continuing MSP'.
"These new Agri-Laws passed in the parliament in an anti-democratic manner preventing a structured discussion and voting, threaten India's food security, destroy Indian agriculture and our farmers, lay the basis for the abolishment of the Minimum Support Price(MSP) and mortgage Indian agriculture and our market to the caprices of multi-national agri-business corporates and domestic corporates," the memorandum further said.
"We urge upon you, as the custodian of the Indian Constitution, to persuade "your government" not to be obdurate and accept the demands raised by India's annadatas," the opposition leader conveyed to President Kovind through the memorandum. After meeting with the President, Rahul Gandhi told the media that the leaders conveyed their objections to the farm laws.
"We told him that it is very imporant that these bills are taken back," Gandhi said. "In this cold, the farmers are on the streets protesting peacefully, expressing their unhappiness. It is the duty of the government to resolve this issue," Pawar opined. Yechuri added: "We are asking to repeal agriculture laws and electricity amendment bill that were passed in anti-democratic manner without proper discussions and consultations."
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 09, 2020 07:03 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).