Jamshedpur, Dec. 2: The Sikh community of Jamshedpur on Wednesday took out a protest march against the two agricultural reform bills passed by Parliament recently. The march started from Mango Gurudwara and culminated at Sakchi Gurudwara. Wearing black turbans and black dupattas holding placards, men and women expressed their anger against the Government’s move. The march from Mango was led by Mango Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee president Bhagwan Singh. At Sakchi took Sikhs wearing black turbans expressed their concerns.
President Bhagwan Singh said that they have taken out the march to show their support to the farmers. The participants wore masks and ensure social distancing. The idea is to express our concern over the bills. He expressed apprehension that the three Bills would pave the way for dismantling the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system, leaving them at the mercy of big companies.
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.
These bills have already received Lok Sabha’s nod and are now with President Ram Nath Kovind.
The Sikhs have urged the President to not give approval to these bills. They want the government to take back the bills.
Sikh scholar Gurpratap Singh, who was the part of the protest march, said that he took part in this protest because the central government has sold out the farmers with these new laws, which did not have any consultation or input from farmers. If they are passed then the farmers’ rights will be finished. He said that steps must be taken to protect the interests of the farming community.
