Bihar farmers being held back because of lack of organisations: Tariq Anwar

A dearth of potent farmers'organisations in Bihar has held its peasants back fromagitating against the farm laws like their counterparts instates like Punjab and Haryana, senior Congress leader TariqAnwar asserted on Monday.

Addressing a press conference here, the AICC generalsecretary debunked the claims made by the ruling NDA that thestate has remained placid by virtue of the ''success'' of NitishKumar government's experimentation with abolition of APMCs.

''It is not that the farmers of Bihar are better offthan those in Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Unlike those states, we do not have organisations which couldeffectively take up their cause.

''It is a pity since this is the land where MahatmaGandhi had launched his Satyagraha in protest againstexploitation of indigo cultivators in Champaran,'' said theformer state Congress chief.

He expressed dismay over the Narendra Modigovernment's ''baal hath'' (childish obstinacy) in refusing toagree to the farmers demand for repeal of the threecontentious laws, and urged the Centre to give up its''ahankaar'' (arrogance).

Pointing towards Modi's much-touted move of abolishingmany redundant laws which was taken up soon after he rose topower in 2014, Anwar wondered ''why is the government soadamant to not do so now when it is being demanded by farmersand attempts to obstruct their agitations are being condemnedworld over''.

He also disclosed that the Congress has decided tohold district-level ''padayatras'' across the country, includingin Bihar, to express solidarity with the agitating farmers.

Training his guns at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, theformer Union minister said the JD(U) leader used to accuse theManmohan Singh government of not granting special status toBihar since the UPA was not in power in the state, and asked''why is he not able to get the BJP, which rules the Centre andshares power with him here, to do the needful''.

Anwar also deplored the recent order issued by theBihar police wherein those taking part in demonstrations havebeen warned of adverse entries in their police verificationreports, which could deprive them of getting government jobsand contracts.

''This is undemocratic,'' he said.