SAMBALPUR: Farmers of Western Odisha will hold a mega convention to protest the Centre’s three farm Bills in Bargarh on January 23 on the occasion of birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Veer Surendra Sai.
Addressing mediapersons here on Monday, Paschim Odisha Krushak Sangathan Samanwaya Samiti (POKSSS) convener Ashok Pradhan said not just from Punjab and Haryana, farmers across the country are protesting the three laws.
“Farmers are agitating at their own places in different ways to extend solidarity with those protesting in Delhi in the freezing cold. The new farm Bills will cripple the farm sector in the country. It is high time we should come together against the autocratic government,” he said.
The farmers here are of the opinion that the new laws will destroy the age-old institutions including agricultural produce market committee (APMC), FCI and State Mandi Board. Since the new Bills restrict MSP as a legal right, there is every possibility that farmers will not get the MSP at private mandis.
This apart, in contract farming, the corporate or company may not abide by the agreement in the name of gradation, FAQ or low quality.
And since the majority of farmers are small, marginal and sharecropper, it will be difficult for them to wage legal battle against the company in case of violation of agreement.
Besides, there is nothing called essential commodities under the new laws. Hence, traders will resort to unlimited hoarding and create artificial scarcity and as a result, the consumer will suffer, Pradhan claimed.
“The common people will be badly affected by the farm laws. Farmers of Western Odisha will stage protest against the new Bills in Bargarh on January 23. The mega convention will be held at Gandhi Chowk,” he added.
Meanwhile, farmers of Bargarh have already started preparations for the mega convention. A bike rally has been launched to mobilise support for the convention by holding meetings at the village level. Launched on January 15, the bike rally will continue till January 20.