Congress to launch nationwide protest against Farm Bills

Congress on Monday announced a nationwide agitation from September 24 against the new farm sector reforms passed by Parliament, collecting signatures from farmers to press for repeal of the “draconian laws”.

The decision was taken at a meeting of top Congress leaders, chaired by former Defence Minister A K Antony in the absence of party chief Sonia Gandhi, who was consulted on the issue. Gandhi, along with Rahul Gandhi, is traveling abroad for medical treatment of the Congress President.

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A series of press conferences will also be held across the country against the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and the Farming Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 which were cleared by voice vote in the Rajya Sabha even as opposition members stormed the well of the House, charged at Deputy Chairman Harivansh and climbed on tables, seeking referral of the bill to a Select Committee for further examination.

Besides a series of press conferences across the country, AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal said that the party’s state unit chiefs and party leaders along with former ministers, MPs, and MLAs will march to the respective Raj Bhavans and submit a memorandum to Governors demanding to repeal the laws.

“From September 24 onwards, Congress will launch an all-India agitation asking the government to repeal the black laws,” Antony told reporters here adding that the protests would continue till the government withdraws the laws.

AICC Treasurer Ahmed Patel accused the Modi government of destroying the democratic system.

“The agricultural bills are neither in the interest of the state government nor the farmers. We raised our voice against this in Parliament and will now take to the streets,” Patel said.