JK Kissan Tehreek holds protest at Srinagar and in Jammu against Farm laws

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Anti-farmer laws will only destroy agriculture and threaten food security; says M Y Tarigami

Jammu: On the eve of Bharat Bandh, JK Kissan Tehreek held protest demonstrations at Jammau and Srinagar demanding repeal of anti farmer laws.

While addressing the protest demonstration in Jammu, CPI (M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said that these anti-farmer and anti-poor agri-laws passed in the Parliament in a brazen manner without any consultation, debate and discussion, is bound to destroy the agriculture sector and threaten India’s food security. Besides, these laws will lay the basis for the abolishment of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and mortgage country’s agriculture and markets to the multi-national and domestic agri-business corporates.

The government is surprised by the determination and resolve of the kisan protestors as they find it hard to see where does it emanate from? For kisans it is question of their identity. What they fear is the loss of their whole way of life, of their land and their hounor. The ‘rosy’ picture presented by the BJP government, cannot mislead them. They understand that whole purpose of these arbitrary laws is handing over their land and crop to corporate houses and taking orders what to grow and how to grow and selling the produce at dictated prices, thereby reducing them to the level of tenants on their own land.

While addressing the protest demonstration in Srinagar, Gh Nabi Malik, General Secretary JK KIsan Tehreek expressed concern over various problems being faced by the Kisans across J&K.

He said issue of fair price for their produce by ensuring a minimum support price for all crops has been a long pending demand of kissans. The government must include Basmati, Saffron, fresh and dry fruit in MSP. This legitimate demand despite repeated promises/assurances has not been conceded till date.  Unjustified price rise in petrol, diesel and LPG have created havoc for common people.

Mohamad Afzal Parry and Zahoor Ahmad Rather, kisan leaders also addressed the protesters.

Sham Prasad Kesar and Omprakash CITU leaders demanded immediate halt to changes in labour laws, and said that t these rights were won over after a struggle of 150 years. The continuous aggressive attack on the workers’ rights has created uncertainty among the working class. Modi government has gone on privatization spree in the public sector undertakings including Banks which is going to strip public assets and add to joblessness. The government should give up its privatisation spree.

Kishore Kumar, Sewa Ram, Baranrasi Das , Sohan Lal kisan leaders also addressed the protestors. They appealed all political parties to render full support to kisans and not to remain mute spectator. They said these anti-farmer laws have pushed the farmers into a critical situation.