Hry BJP's committee on farmers submits report, delegation to meet Union Agri minister Tuesday

The Haryana BJP's committee to seek farmers' feedback on Centre's three-farm related ordinances submitted a report to the state unit of the party on Monday.

The Haryana BJP's committee to seek farmers' feedback on Centre's three-farm related ordinances submitted a report to the state unit of the party on Monday. State BJP chief Om Prakash Dhankar had constituted the three-member panel to talk to farmers and seek their feedback on the ordinances after the recent protest by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) and other farmers' organisations in Kurukshetra's Pipli.

The committee comprises of BJP MPs Dharambir Singh, Brijendra Singh and Nayab Singh Saini "The committee constituted to take feedback of farmers on three farm-related ordinances submitted their report to me," Dhankar tweeted. Dhankar, along with state Agriculture minister J P Dalal, the committee members and farmers' representatives, will meet Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar in Delhi on Tuesday.

"We will put forth the feedback and suggestions given by the farmers before the Union minister," Dhankar told reporters later. The ruling BJP in Haryana had on Sunday accused the opposition of trying to create doubt among farmers about the Centre's agriculture-related ordinances for their political interests.

Reacting to it, the INLD dubbed the ordinances as a "death warrant for farmers", while the Congress asked the BJP to come clean on the issue. Dhankar on Monday reiterated that the ordinances, which now have been presented as bills, will neither have any impact on the existing 'mandis' nor affect the minimum support price (MSP) mechanism.

He had earlier claimed that the ordinances will take the shape of law only after the suggestions of farmers are incorporated. The Centre on Monday introduced three bills in the Lok Sabha on the farm sector with Union Minister Tomar asserting that they will help farmers get a remunerative price for their produce as well as private investments and technology.

Tomar introduced 'The Farmers' Produce Trade And Commerce (Promotion And Facilitation) Bill' and 'The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill', while Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Raosaheb Danve introduced 'The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill' to replace the ordinances promulgated by the government earlier. Meanwhile, former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda claimed that the three agricultural ordinances will "destroy the farmers who are facing all-round losses that have been made worse by the government apathy". The Congress leader, who is the leader of the opposition in the state, demanded that the government change its attitude and policies towards farmers "because the country and the state cannot progress unless the farmer is prosperous and happy." Hooda also demanded a 'special girdwari' (survey) to provide immediate relief to cotton farmers whose crop has been damaged due to whitefly insect attacks.

He claimed that the government had turned a blind eye to the plight of the farmers and provided no compensation to them. Farmers in 20 villages of Hisar district on Monday held a 'mahapanchayat' in Balsamand village to demand a 'special girdwari' of damaged cotton and moong crops in the region.

They threatened to launch a stir if their demand was not immediately met. Hooda demanded that the government compensate the cotton farmers for at least Rs 30,000 per acre after conducting the 'special girdawari' without any further delay.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)