Jamshedpur, Feb 6: The Congress activists on Saturday extended support to the countrywide ‘chakka jam’ called by farmer unions by blocking Tata-Ranchi road on NH 33. As a result of the blockade, a long queue of vehicles, including trucks, buses, cars and two-wheelers remained stranded on either side of the highway for about three hours.
On the call of District president, Bijay Khan Congress workers in solidarity with the protesting farmers supported the protest. “We are here to lend support to the cause of farmers, we are taking full care that the ambulance services, elderly, patients and women and children are not inconvenienced due to the protest,” said a party worker.
He said that this farmers’ movement, which is being steadfastly supported by the poor, farm labour, SCs, STs, OBCs as well as every “right- minded Indian”, is not only aimed at protecting agriculture and farming but also saving the public distribution system.
The blockade delayed Ghatshila residents bound for Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Airport. “I was scheduled to catch a flight for Delhi from Ranchi in the afternoon. But, I think due to the jam I won’t be able to catch the flight,” said Manish Patel, a local trader.
“I was scheduled to reach Ranchi for attending a business meeting. But, it seems difficult to reach the venue of the meeting on time ,” said an entrepreneur.
Congress leader Iqbal Ansari, said that the fight of farmers have been now become a global issue but still the Union Government is not paying heed to their problems. The government should listen to the farmers because the farmers of the country are the food providers”.
He went on to add it is now open secret that the farmers’ organisations have held eleven rounds of talks with the government during which they provided point-wise detail of the deficiencies and lacunae in the three laws, but still the Government is not willing to listen to the farmers.
“ It is really a shame that though thousands of farmers have been protesting at Delhi’s borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh demanding the rollback of the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, the Government is not willing to listen to their plight,” said another Congress worker.
He appealed to the President to direct the government that by convening a joint session of Parliament, the amended Agricultural law be removed.
The two bills – the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and the Farming Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 – were passed by the Rajya Sabha despite uproar and strong protest by the Opposition parties in the house.
