Veer Lachit Sena declares stir against CAA, farm acts and other issues

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: The Veer Lachit Sena, Assam (VLSA) has once again become vocal against the Union and State governments in connection with various issues. Simultaneously, the organization declared to root out the ruling party from the power in the upcoming assembly election of the State. The central committee dignitaries of the organization made this declaration in Lakhimpur on Monday by convening a press conference at North Lakhimpur Press Club.

Expressing their opinion and observation on the current political scenario of the nation as well as the State in the press meet, VLSA president in-charge Hemanta Borah and chief secretary Rantu Paniphukan, along with other office bearers of the organization, reiterated their strong opposition to the three contentious farmer acts, viz- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, adopted by BJP-led Union Government after the amendment of the old acts concerned. In this connection, Rantu Paniphukan said that the three farmers' acts would completely violate the farmers' right to living and earning.

"The eight rounds of talks between the protesting farmers and the government at the Centre failed to break any settlement regarding the farmers' demand even after their protest had passed a period of 45 days. The unmoved attitude of the government shown against the farmers' interest and soft corner to the corporate sector has created the standstill regarding the issue. This has proved the anti-people stand of the government," Rantu Paniphukan stated.

According to the VLSA, MSP (Minimum Support Price) to the farmers' produce is the main source of their income and the farmers have to suffer the losses due to the withdrawal of the MSP.

"The farmers of Assam have also to suffer these losses due to non-execution of the MSP in the real sense. As a consequence, Assam farmers have to sell their paddy in the open market at Rs 600 to Rs 1100 despite the State Government fixing Rs. 1868 as the MSP for paddy per quintal," Rantu Paniphukan added. In the press meet, the VLSA dignitaries criticized the BJP governments for implementing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) too.

"The ruling parties at the Centre have safeguarded the illegal migrants in the State since 1947 in order to strengthen their vote-bank politics. By implementing and enforcing the CAA, the existing government ruled out the relevance of the illegal migrant issue as a crucial issue. The Act also dishonoured the supreme sacrifice of over 800 martyrs of the Anti-Foreigners' Movement of the State. The Act will turn the Assamese community into a minority community in the native State after two decades," said the chief secretary in the press meet.

Addressing the press meet, he also declared a series of protests in order to demand the repeal of CAA and the three contentious farmers' acts, employment of unemployed youths, and control of sky-rocketing prices of essential commodities. He stated that the protests would be initiated in the headquarter of the each district of the State after Magh Bihu, then they would be taken to the regional and Gaon Panchayat areas and villages.

On the other hand, VLSA took out a torch rally in North Lakhimpur town in support of the demands on the aforementioned issues on Monday evening under the aegis of Lakhimpur district unit of the organization. VLSA president in-charge Hemanta Borah, chief secretary Rantu Paniphukan, along with many other central committee dignitaries of the organization participated in the agitation programme. The protesters rocked the environment of the town by shouting slogans in support of their demands amid the blended sound of daba, khol, bortal, borkah and sankha (conch), the traditional musical instruments of Assamese culture.

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