Farm Bills: Congress begins nationwide protest, Punjab farmers organise 3-day 'rail roko' agitation

The Congress will begin its nearly two-month-long nationwide agitation from today, September 24, against the Centre for passing the farm bills during the monsoon session of Parliament.

Senior Congress leader AK Antony, in a meeting, had said, "The Congress is launching an agitation against the government for passing the anti-farmer and anti-people laws."

Senior Congress leader Ahmad Patel who was also present in the meeting, said, "The government has destroyed 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 will now take to the streets."

He said the decision has been taken under the leadership of interim party president Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi.

Opposition parties take out march inside Parliament

Opposition parties on Wednesday took out a march inside the Parliament premises in protest against the Centre's farm bills.

MPs of the opposition parties, including Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad, TMC's Derek O'Brien, and Samajwadi Party's Jaya Bachchan among others held placards with slogans 'Save Farmers' as well as 'Save Farmers, Save Workers, Save Democracy' as they first staged a protest before the Gandhi statue in the Parliament premises and later took out a march.

Opposition parties yesterday evening also made a representation to President Ram Nath Kovind and requested him not to give his assent to the contentious farm bills. They conveyed to the President that the passage of the bills in Rajya Sabha was "unconstitutional."

Several opposition parties have protested the passage of the farm bills in Parliament and have boycotted the proceedings of both Houses.

Earlier, the opposition MPs wrote to Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu asking him not to pass the three labour related bills in the Upper House in absence of the opposition. "It will be a blot on democracy if bills are passed unilaterally," they wrote in the letter.

MPs said that the opposition is doing its job and demanding the rollback of the bill. "At least 16 opposition parties MPs have boycotted Rajya Sabha proceedings. We have boycotted for raising farmers. Our demands are that MSP must be ensured to farmers. Until and unless the government give a statement regarding MSP and make a new law, we will continue to boycott," said Congress MP Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Meanwhile, RJD MP Manoj Jha said, "This bill will make the labourers handicapped. The government is not worried about the Opposition. Is this the way of Parliament democracy? The Opposition is doing its job and raising the issue that matters to the public."

AAP's suspended MP Sanjay Singh alleged that the government "has murdered democracy and passed a black law for farmers."

"We demand that this bill should be returned. We marched as we are opposed to the bill. We have taken inspiration from Gandhi Ji. We want this bill to be rollbacked," he added.

Widespread protests, 'rail roko' agitation from today

Meanwhile, the farm bills have triggered widespread protests, especially in states like Punjab and Haryana, where farmers and farmer organisations have taken to the streets while opposing the move.

A farmers' body will hold 'rail roko' agitation from today, till September 26 to lodge their protest against the three agriculture ordinances passed by the Union Cabinet.

"We have decided to hold a rail roko agitation from September 24 to 26 against the three agriculture ordinances," said Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee General Secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher.

Punjab Bandh to be observed from Sept 25

Different farmer organisations in Punjab have already given a call for a 'bandh' on September 25 in protest against the Bills.

"We have decided to hold a rail roko agitation from September 24 to 26 against the three agriculture ordinances," said Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee General Secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher.

Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, the Industrial Relations Code 2020 and the Code on Social Security, 2020. Lok Sabha had passed the Bills on Tuesday.

(With inputs from agencies)