Union govt ordinances will leave farmers at mercy of market forces: Selja

The agriculture-related ordinances introduced by the Centre will leave small farmers at the mercy of market forces, claimed Haryana Congress chief Kumari Selja as members from the farming community protested the move in parts of the state on Monday.

The agriculture-related ordinances introduced by the Centre will leave small farmers at the mercy of market forces, claimed Haryana Congress chief Kumari Selja as members from the farming community protested the move in parts of the state on Monday. Farmers held protests at several places, including Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Karnal, Sonipat, Bhiwani, Fatehabad and Yamunanagar. At some places, they were joined by commission agents (arhtiyas).

During their protest, farmers claimed that the three ordinances related to the agriculture sector will ruin the age-old system of 'mandis' and lead to their exploitation. Commenting on the issue, state Congress chief accused the government of shying away from its responsibility of protecting farmers and said the next move may be the scrapping of the minimum support price system. “Eighty-five percent of the country's farmers are small and marginal and the government's move will leave them at the mercy of market forces. The peasants will face exploitation at the hands of market forces,” the senior Congress leader told reporters during an online interaction.

“The government is shying away from its responsibility. They will ultimately scrap the MSP system,” she added. She claimed this was another decision taken by the Centre without studying its impact on farmers or even common consumers.

“This is like their demonetisation decision and the way they brought the GST,” she said. Kumari Selja said the government has been making hollow claims regarding doubling farmers' income. “On the contrary, the government is increasing hardships of farmers. Rather than extending relief to farmers during the present difficult situation created by the COVID pandemic, the diesel rates have been increased sharply which adds to the input costs. This directly impacts our farmers and common consumers,” she said.

About the ordinances, the Congress leader said, “Rather than simplifying things, these have been made them more complicated. Our mandis, which are a key part of the state's economy, will be ruined under the new system and with one stroke all of this will end. “Only capitalists will flourish in this kind of arrangement and farmers will face exploitation. This is like having the zamindari system in another shape with big companies to profit. Under this system, farmers will become bonded labourers,” she said.

“When big companies will exploit them, will they be able to take them on and seek justice? The hardworking farmers who made our country self-reliant and self-sufficient in foodgrain will be tied up in chains,” Selja claimed. Referring to the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, she said, “When there will be no limit to stock one's produce, it will lead to hoarding and black marketing.” When asked the government claims that the ordinances were pro-farmer and will protect their interests, she asked, “Why are the farmers protesting then, why are they against these ordinances?” She said whenever any “anti-people” or “anti-farmer” decisions have been taken by the government, the Congress has stood with those sections who have been hit and will raise its voice and stand with farmers this time too.

Selja said she expects newly appointed Haryana BJP president O P Dhankar, who has earlier served twice as the saffron party's Kisan Morcha chief, to raise his voice on the issue “in the interest of farmers”. The Centre has introduced three ordinances -- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance; Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance.

Several farmers' outfits in Punjab and Haryana are protesting against these ordinances. In Haryana, several farmers rode tractors as part of their protest. A farmer told reporters in Kaithal,” Through these ordinances, if the new system is implemented, it will ruin the mandi system, which has existed for a long time.” “Ultimately, instead of benefitting us, it will lead to our exploitation as there will be bigger market forces who will control the things to their advantage,” he said, expressing his fears. Farmers also submitted a memorandum to the Union government through the deputy commissioners on the ordinance issue.

Haryana BKU leader Gurnam Singh said at Shahabad in Kurukshetra that earlier every trader could buy crops only from the mandi, but now according to the new ordinance, the trader will be allowed to buy crops from outside the mandi. This will eliminate both competition in the market and minimum support price for the crop, he claimed.

On Sunday, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had said some vested groups were trying to spread “disinformation” on the ordinances and mislead farmers. Khattar had said both the MSP and assured marketing will continue unhindered.

He said under the new system, farmers will get wider choice to sell their produce to anyone without restrictions. “Some people are trying to mislead that the MSP system will be scrapped, which is baseless,” Khattar had said.