Congress, AIUDF among 14 opposition parties of Assam pledging support to farmer unions ‘Bharat bandh’

Guwahati, Dec. 6 (PTI): Altogether 14 opposition parties, including Congress, AIUDF and the Left, in Assam on Sunday announced their “full support” to the ‘Bharat Bandh’ called on December 8 by farmer unions demanding repeal of the new farm laws.

Ruling BJP’s ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) also extended their support to the struggle of farmers, but refrained from joining hands for the nationwide shutdown.

Issuing a joint statement, the parties alleged that farmers in Assam will also be badly affected due to the three laws, which were made to benefit the corporate sector only.

“If the agriculture sector goes in the hands of corporates, then there is a possibility of danger to the food security programme of the government. During BJP rule, the farmers have not got their due from the produce,” the statement said.

Supporting the farmers’ demand to repeal the three acts, the 14 opposition parties of the state appealed to people to close all factories, officies, banks, courts, educational institutes and traffic on Tuesday.

The signatories to the joint statement are from Congress, CPI (M), CPI, CPI(ML), RCPI, AAP, NCP, RJD, AJP, Raijor Dal, Anchalik Gana Morcha, LDP and Asom Sangrami Mancha.

AIUDF General Secretary Haidor Hussain Bora said his party has also extended full support to the ‘Bharat Bandh’ and demanded immediate repeal of the three laws.

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and senior AGP leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta said BJP is losing its support among the public due to many anti-people policies.

“The three agri laws are one such example. These laws will harm the farming community. We are fully supporting the ongoing protests by the farmers in Delhi,” he told reporters here.

The three farm laws — the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 — were enacted by the Centre in September.

Farmers’ bodies protesting against the laws have expressed apprehension that these would pave the way for dismantling of the minimum support price system and do away with the mandis, leaving them at the mercy of big corporate entities.

The Centre, on the other hand, has asserted that these new laws will be beneficial for farmers and will increase their income by removing middlemen and allowing them to sell their produce anywhere in the country.