Farmers' rally: Raut cautions protesters against COVID-19

The COVID-19 threat is still notover in Mumbai and proper care should be taken accordinglyduring farmers' protest here or else a new crisis will bethere in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said on Monday.

As the farmers' protest against the Centre's farm lawscontinues near the Delhi borders, Raut alleged that ''someinvisible force'' does not want peasants to get justice.

Talking to reporters here, he also said that an''atmosphere of instability'' prevails in the country.

Thousands of farmers from across Maharashtra havereached Mumbai to participate in a rally here on Mondayagainst the Centre's three new farm laws and to expresssolidarity with the farmers agitating near Delhi.

''I saw yesterday farmers from different places inMaharashtra reached Mumbai. Will need to take care. TheCOVID-19 threat is still not over in Mumbai,'' Raut said.

''It will be better if care is taken in that case. Orelse, a new crisis will spread in Maharashtra is what thechief minister is worried about,'' the Rajya Sabha member said.

He noted that the farmers' protest near the nationalcapital has been continuing despite several rounds ofdiscussions between peasants and the Centre.

''It seems some invisible force does not want farmersto get justice, an atmosphere of instability prevails in thecountry and it (the invisible force) seeks political mileageout of the same. It will not be in the interest of thecountry,'' the Shiv Sena's chief spokesperson said.

Enacted in September last year, the three laws havebeen projected by the Centre as major reforms in theagriculture sector that will remove middlemen and allowfarmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country.

However, the protesting farmers have expressed theirapprehension that the new laws would pave the way foreliminating the safety cushion of MSP and do away with the'mandi' (wholesale market) system, leaving them at the mercyof big corporates.

Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana andwestern Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at several borderpoints of Delhi, demanding a repeal of the three farm laws.

Multiple rounds of talks between the government andfarmer unions have failed to break the impasse so far, whilethe Supreme Court has appointed a panel for resolution of theissue.