Haryana: Farmers slam new agri laws, seek right to sell at MSP

KARNAL: Farmers on Sunday took out a march in Panipat to protest against the Centre’s three ordinances for the agriculture sector and demand a law giving them a right to sell their produce at the minimum support price (MSP).


Protesting as part of their campaign, August Kisan Kranti Andolan, against the new laws, they raised slogans against the BJP-led central government and demanded immediate withdrawal of these ordinances.

Led by Rattan Mann, the state president of Bharatiya Kisan Union, the farmers took out a procession from Kisan Bhawan to Karnal MP Sanjay Bhatia’s residence in Model town, where they handed over a memorandum to MP’s wife Anju Bhatia, as he himself was not present there.

Mann said, “The Centre has brought three ordinances for the farm sector. But, these laws will help the corporate sector only and they will exploit the farmers. There is no clarity on MSP in these ordinances. Hence, the government should withdraw these ordinances and bring a law ‘Kharid Garanti Kanoon’ (right to sell at MSP).”

He said they have launched the August Kisan Kranti Andolan campaign against these ordinances. During this drive, they would submit memorandums to Ambala and Sirsa MPs on August 16 and to Bhiwani and Sonipat MPs on August 23.

“If the government does not withdraw these ordinances immediately, we will be forced to launch a larger agitation. For this, a state-level Kisan Mahapanchayat will be held in Rohtak ’s new grain market on September 4 and the next course of action will be decided there,” he said.

Mann said chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar should call a joint meeting of all party leaders, agriculture experts and farmer organisations before August 15 to discuss these ordinances.