Kisan Sansad puts commodities act under lens

The Essential Commodities Act, one of the three contentious farm legislations,  was discussed extensively at the ‘Kisan Sansad’ in Jantar Mantar on Tuesday.
Farmers listen in rapt attention to a Kisan Sansad invitee at a session on agriculture laws at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Tuesday | Parveen negi
Farmers listen in rapt attention to a Kisan Sansad invitee at a session on agriculture laws at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Tuesday | Parveen negi

NEW DELHI:  The Essential Commodities Act, one of the three contentious farm legislations,  was discussed extensively at the ‘Kisan Sansad’ in Jantar Mantar on Tuesday. Discussion of the Act was started on Monday by women farmers from Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana.

The ‘Kisan Sansad’ started late on Tuesday, around 12 noon, due to the heavy traffic and waterlogging.
Every day, 200 farmers are participating in the ‘Kisan Sansad’, which is a part of their strategy to draw the government’s as well as the opposition’s attention to the issues that have been plaguing the farming community.

In a statement, the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM),  demanded the amended Essential Commodities Act, 2020, should be immediately repealed. “The farmers’ parliament repeals this Act and asks Parliament to do the same.”  Bharatiya Kisan Union General Secretary Yudhvir Singh said the Essential Commodities Act was passed in 1955 to stop the black market and since then no one has asked for the amendment. 

The state governments, in consultation with farmer unions, should strengthen the marketing, transportation, storage facilities and food processing for crops, bring improvements in the food delivery system to ensure basic food and nutrition security to all people, the SKM said.

“The Government should frame a policy and ensure the establishment of such basic facilities and infrastructure that will ensure that farmers and their families, not corporates and MNCs, earn from the food production, storage, processing and marketing,” it said.

Farmer leader Raminder Singh Patiala, who reached Jantar Mantar on Tuesday as an observer, said, “We are continuing the discussion over the Essential Commodities Act which was started by the women on Monday. The women also demanded to repeal the law.”   

 “We are hopeful of passing a resolution to repeal the law while concluding the Kisan Sansad for the day. P R Pandian, Randhir Singh Dheera, Rishipal Ambawata, Inderjeet Singh, Jarnail Singh and Harminder Singh Khaira were elected as speakers and deputy speakers for three sessions of the parliament,” he said.

Protesters from Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Bihar came for the Sansad. “We are thinking of approaching agriculture experts like P Sainath, Dr Sucha Singh Gill, Devender Singh to speak,” Patiala said. 

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