Sirsa: A group of farmers staged a protest in Haryana’s Sirsa against the farm laws. Police also used water cannons to disperse the farmers.
Social distancing norms were flouted by the people here while police barricaded the way, on which farmers were protesting. Meanwhile, Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) has again extended ‘rail roko’ agitation in Punjab against recently enacted farm laws till October 8. The protests were scheduled to end on October 5.
The rail roko farmers’ agitation was launched by the Committee in Punjab on September 24 and was scheduled to conclude on September 26. However, it was extended till September 29 and it is now scheduled to be concluded on October 8.
Similar protests against the farm legislations have been witnessed in various parts of the country including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Odisha.
According to the Centre, these laws will help small and marginal farmers by allowing them to sell produce outside ‘mandis’ and sign agreements with agri-business firms and doing away with stock-holding limits on key commodities.
The Parliament has recently passed the three Bills, which have come into effect from September 27 after President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent.
The three bills – Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Service Act, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 – were passed in the monsoon session of parliament.
Also read: How Modi govt’s 3 contentious farm bills have exposed SAD, Congress & BJP’s hypocrisy