MP government trying to crush farmers' voice: Kamal Nath

Madhya Pradesh Congress presidentKamal Nath on Sunday hit out at the BJP dispensation in thestate for using force on his party workers during a protest inBhopal against the Centre's three new farm laws, and allegedthat the government was trying to crush the voice of farmers.

He also claimed that the new laws will privatise theagriculture sector and farmers will become bonded labourers ofbig industrialists.

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Nath led a farmers' tractor rally in Depalpur, about50 kms from Indore, to protest against the new agri laws.

He was seen driving a tractor himself in anagriculture-dominated area.

On Saturday, Congress workers protesting against thethree agri laws clashed with police and allegedly hurledstones while on their way to gherao the Raj Bhavan in Bhopal,prompting police to use water cannons, tear gas and canes todisperse them, officials earlier said.

Talking to reporters in Depalpur on Sunday, Nath said,''The administration in Bhopal tried to crush the voice offarmers. The (ruling) Bharatiya Janata Party does notunderstand that farmers comprise the largest community in ourcountry.'' The former state chief minister alleged that thecentral government was trying to privatise the country's farmsector through the three new agriculture laws.

''Lakhs of farmers have been agitating against thethree black laws at Delhi borders since many days. These lawswill destroy the economy of our state and the country as theywill reduce the purchasing power of farmers, causing themarkets to collapse,'' Nath said.

He also targeted the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led stategovernment over the death of 24 people after consumingspurious liquor in Morena district recently, crimes againstwomen and unemployment.

''I appeal to the people to understand the truth andsupport the truth to secure their future,'' Nath said.

Before taking part in the tractor rally, Nath visiteda temple in Depalpur.

Later while addressing a farmers' rally, he said,''These (BJP leaders) will collect donations for the Ram templeand raise petrol and diesel prices by Rs two rupees and thendivert attention (from inflation). This is happening. Petroland diesel prices are going to reach Rs 100 per litre.'' The former MP chief minister also said that visitingtemples and mosques will not create employment opportunities.

Taking a dig at the Narendra Modi government, he said,''Modi wanted to become the prime minister for the first timein the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and talked about giving twocrore jobs to the youth every year and doubling the income offarmers.'' ''Have you heard these promises made by Modi to theyouths and farmers in the last Lok Sabha elections of 2019? Hestarts talking about Pakistan and nationalism to divertpeople's attention,'' Nath alleged.

''The new laws will privatise the agriculture sectorand eliminate the possibility of farmers getting the minimumsupport price for their crops. Farmers will become bondedlabourers of big industrialists,'' he 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.

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.

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