Farmers took to the streets of Jorhat on Saturday to stage protest against the three farm reform bills passed by Parliament recently.
Farmers and students burnt copies of the three bills and the effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi under the banners of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and its students’ wing the Satra Mukti Sangram Samiti in front of the Jorhat deputy commissioner office complex.
The three Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020, Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill had been passed by both Houses of Parliament recently.
The KMSS and SMSS members shouted slogans against the Narendra Modi-led government, calling it pro-corporate and anti-farmer, anti-people.
Bhoirab Bora, SMSS Jorhat district unit president said private players would get the upper hand while buying the produce of farmers as they had been given an open hand.
Bora further said the farmers would be at the mercy of corporate houses and would be the losers.
“There was also apprehension that removing potatoes, onions, cereals and pulses from essential commodities list would raise the prices for the common man as middlemen would buy these from the farmers at whatever price, then hoard them and create an artificial shortage in the market, thus, increasing the price,” he said.