LF, fraternal parties express strong objection to farm bills

They called for road blockade and protest rallies by farmers in the state on September 25 to protest against the passage of 'anti-farmer' bills in Parliament. Left Front chairman Biman Bose said in a statement that any anti-BJP and anti-Trinamool Congress outfit is welcome to participate in the rally, making clear Left's reservation about any movement with TMC, whose supremo Mamata Banerjee has made an acerbic attack against the NDA government at the Centre for the passing of the bills.

The Left Front and several other fraternal parties in West Bengal on Monday expressed strong objection to the farm bills and deplored the way it was passed by voice vote in Rajya Sabha. They called for road blockade and protest rallies by farmers in the state on September 25 to protest against the passage of 'anti-farmer' bills in Parliament.

Left Front chairman Biman Bose said in a statement that any anti-BJP and anti-Trinamool Congress outfit is welcome to participate in the rally, making clear Left's reservation about any movement with TMC, whose supremo Mamata Banerjee has made an acerbic attack against the NDA government at the Centre for the passing of the bills. The Left had earlier alleged that TMC has "secret understanding" with the BJP.

The signatories to the statement included CPI-M, CPI, All India Forward Bloc, RSP, RCPI, Marxist Forward Bloc, seven other Left parties and the NCP, RJD and LJD. It said, "Today's meeting of the Left and fraternal parties deplored the way the farm bills were passed violating all parliamentary norms and took away the farmers' right to get minimum support price for his agricultural produce.

"We strongly object to the opening of farm sector to big corporates who will now dictate the pricing of food grains and other vegetables and force the farmer to make distress sale. The passage of the bills through voice vote bypassing the select committee in Parliament shows the anti-democratic nature of this government," the statement said. Bose, who is also CPI-M Politburo member, said that the rallies will be part of the country-wide protests by Sara Bharat Krishak Sangharsha Samannoy Committee which comprises of the Krishak Sabha, CPI-M's farmers wing, against the "draconian" Farmer's Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020.

The two bills were passed by voice vote in Rajya Sabha on Sunday amid chaotic scenes by the opposition who had demanded that they be referred to a House panel for greater scrutiny. The bills were passed by the Lok Sabha earlier. Bose said the decision to join the nationwide protest was taken at a meeting of 16 parties - Left and fraternal organisations.

As part of the protest, Left trade unions and other organisations will bring out a rally from near the Lenin statue at Esplanade area in the heart of the of city on September 25 where members of the Left parties will also take part, he said.