Sachin Pilot Slams Centre's New Farm Sector Bills, Calls Them "Anti-Farmer"

Terming the three recently introduced agriculture sector-related bills as "anti-farmer", former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot on Wednesday demanded that the central government carry out extensive consultations with political parties, farmers' organisations, traders and agriculture experts and consider amending them.

The government introduced the Farmers' Produce Trade And Commerce (Promotion And Facilitation) Bill, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill in Parliament on Monday to replace ordinances brought into effect earlier.

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 which seeks to deregulate food items, including cereals, pulses and onion.

Attacking the Centre over the issue, Sachin Pilot accused the government of "betraying" the farmers and said the three ordinances, for which bills have been introduced, were "anti-farmer" and "anti-agriculture".

The laws were introduced through ordinances during the pandemic even though there was no urgency, the Congress leader said in a statement.

He said despite the issue being a state subject, neither the states nor political parties or agricultural organizations were consulted by the Centre.

Alleging that the Modi government was "anti-farmer" from the beginning, he said an attempt was also made to end the compensation law for farmers through an ordinance, but the Congress under Rahul Gandhi's leadership forced them to back down.

He claimed with the three bills farmers, farm labourers, commission agents and 'mandi' traders will be finished.

Mr Pilot said the biggest difficulty in contract farming will arise for small farmers as they will become "servants of companies".

"Alternatively, the government should consider the option of mass farming by small farmers at the village level," he said.

Mr Pilot demanded that the Central government should hold detailed discussions with political parties, farmer organizations, 'mandi' traders and agricultural experts, and consider amending these laws so that the actual condition of the country's farmers can be improved.
 

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