Congress, commissioning agents and middlemen are behind farmer protests on Delhi border: BJP Spokesperson
The Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) believes that some political organisations, including Punjab's commission
agents, middlemen, and the Congress, are behind the farmers' agitation going on
at the Delhi border. BJP's national economic affairs spokesperson Gopal Krishna
Agarwal claims that the new law led to a hit of six thousand crore rupees
annually, and that is why 25,000 commission agents began instigating the common
farmer.
While the three newly created
laws are in the interest of the farmer, the BJP hopes that the misunderstanding
over the new laws among the farmers will be removed when correct information
reaches them.
National spokesperson Gopal
Krishna Agarwal, who plays the role of a bridge between the central government
and the BJP in economic matters, told IANS that the history of the last 20
years shows that many committees have insisted on creating alternative markets
for farmers. Whether it is the Swaminathan Committee, the Parliamentary
Standing Committee or the Shanta Kumar Committee report, everybody advocated a
paradigm shift in this direction.
Gopal Krishna Agarwal described
the nexus between the farmers' agitation and the political parties. He said,
"There are 25,000 commission agents in Punjab. The new law has hurt the
earnings of six thousand crore rupees annually. Eight and a half per cent of
this was their commission. The way the new laws are being protested by
spreading falsehoods over MSP and the Mandi system reeks of politics. I think
political parties like the Congress and commission agents have done the job of
instigating the farmers."
On the question of purchase of
100 per cent MSP, Agarwal said that the government bought only six per cent of
the total production earlier, if you look at the Shanta Kumar report. Now,
government procurement in the Modi government has gone up to 15 per cent. So,
the Modi government is working much more for the welfare of farmers. People who
are spreading confusion over MSP have to understand that the central government
declares only minimum support price, while the state governments make the
procurement. The state governments are not so financially strong that they can
make 100 per cent procurement. Neither do they have proper storage
capacity."
Why doesn't the government give
a written assurance on MSP? Agarwal says the new law has nothing to do with
MSP. So it is not a question of putting it in writing. "MSP is a different
subject; it can be discussed at another forum. The government has already said
that the present system of MSP is not being done away with. The way the system
has been going on for 70 years, it will continue, and so will the mandis. In
today's date, the APMC's monopoly is the biggest problem for farmers. The
commission agents compel the farmers to sell the crop in the local mandi
because they get 8.5 per cent commission. The new law will ensure that farmers
are able to sell the crop wherever they want."
Has the agitation taken shape
because of lack of communication with farmer organisations? The BJP national
spokesperson said that the government has held extensive discussions with
farmers. "In view of the recommendations of several reports and after
talks with farmer organisations, the ordinance on agricultural laws came in
June. If somebody had a problem, they could have raised it in June itself. Now,
there is agitation at the end of November. This shows that the farmers are
being misled."
Are corporate houses being benefited with the relaxation in storage limits? On this question, the BJP spokesperson said that the capacity of warehousing in the country is low and needs to be enhanced. "This will happen only when private investment comes. The Essential Commodities Act in India was enacted in 1955 when there was a shortage of foodgrains in the country. Today, the country is grain surplus. At this time, an attempt is being made to promote private investment by giving concessions in storage limits."
(The writer is National Spokesperson of BJP)
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