Uttarakhand CM welcomes farm bills, ex-CM sits on fast against legislations

Describing the passage of the bills in the Lok Sabha as historic, Rawat said it will lead to positive changes in the lives of farmers and increase their income. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on behalf of the farming community for introducing the legislations.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Friday welcomed the passage of the farm bills in Lok Sabha as a historic step that will bring about positive changes in the lives of farmers. Earlier in the day, former chief minister and Congress leader Harish Rawat sat on a fast in protest against the legislations terming them as a "conspiracy to ruin farmers".

Chief Minister Rawat, though, tweeted, "Aimed at agricultural reforms, these bills will free the farmers from middlemen and ensure they have direct market accessibility and get the right price for their produce". Describing the passage of the bills in the Lok Sabha as historic, Rawat said it will lead to positive changes in the lives of farmers and increase their income.

He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on behalf of the farming community for introducing the legislations. In the sit-in at Gandhi Park, Harish Rawat offered flowers to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi before beginning his fast at 9.45 am which went on till 11.45 am.

After ending his fast, the AICC general secretary and in-charge of party affairs in Punjab said farmers across the country have descended onto the streets in protest against the three legislations. Terming them as "black laws", Rawat said it was a conspiracy to ruin farmers.

"The ordinances seek to remove the provision for minimum support price (MSP) in order to serve the interests of the corporate world. Through my fast, I want to express my solidarity with farmers across the country," he said..

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