AASU burns 'anti-farmer' bills, demands immediate scrapping

LAKHIMPUR: Strong opposition and massive reaction against the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill have engulfed Lakhimpur along with the other parts of the country.

With the eruption of pent-up resentment, the members of the Lakhimpur unit of All Assam Students' Union (AASU) took to the street on Friday strongly opposing the controversial bills and supporting the apprehensive farmers. Regarding the issue, the activists of the North Lakhimpur regional unit of the organization burnt the copies of the three bills at Main Chariali of the North Lakhimpur town to demand the immediate scrapping of the same.

Notably, the farmers across the nation have been apprehensive about these bills though the Government at the Centre has said that the proposed bills will formulate a framework on the agreements that enable farmers to engage with agri-business companies, retailers, exporters for service and sale of produce while giving the farmer access to modern technology. But on the contrary, the farmers have expressed apprehension that once these bills are passed, they would pave the way for dismantling of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system and leave the farming community at the 'mercy' of big corporates. It is also apprehended that the proposed legislations were 'corporate agriculture bills' which were framed to suit 'big corporates who seek to dominate the Indian food and agriculture business'.

Extending whole-hearted support to the apprehensive farmers' community, Lakhimpur AASU also termed these bills as 'against the greater interest of the farmers of India which is still an agro-economy based nation'.

"By passing the controversial bills, the Union Government has attempted to hand over the agriculture sector to the corporates. We strongly opposed the bills and demand immediate scrapping of the same," said Pranjit Gogoi, the president of the North Lakhimpur regional unit of AASU, while leading the protest programme.

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