The Left parties on Wednesday staged a demonstration opposing the passage of three ‘anti-farmer’ Bills in Parliament, stating that they adversely affected the rights of the farming community that constitutes 69% of the population.
CPI national general secretary K. Narayana, along with CPI(M) district secretary V. Rambhupal, was arrested for staging a demonstration in front of the BSNL office here. Leaders of four Left parties participated in the dharna protesting against the “anti-worker and anti-farmer” of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.
‘Wholesale middlemen’
Mr. Narayana said the three farm Acts, which were passed in Parliament without any discussion, would reduce small landholders to farm labourers. In the guise of removing (retail) middlemen, the Central government was handing over the entire business to ‘wholesale middlemen’ such as Reliance, Microsoft and other large MNCs, he added
“These multi-nationals have invested ₹90,000 crore in the retail chains in India, and to feed them at a throwaway price, the Centre has removed the public marketing system, which ensures Minimum Support Price for the farmers’ produce. Now, the MNCs will dictate the terms and decide the price at which the producers will be forced to sell,” Mr. Narayana lamented.
TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy were toeing the BJP line to protect their personal interests, he alleged.
“The Prime Minister has privatised the higher education and power sectors. It is now the turn of agriculture,” Mr. Narayana alleged.
“The spirit of federalism has gone with the Centre vesting all the powers with itself. Right from the CBI to the RBI and to CAG, the BJP has tightened its grip on all the institutions,” he alleged.