Widespread protests by Farmers in Punjab, UP, and Haryana, BJP opens negotiations: All you need to know

Farmers have been protesting across Punjab, UP and Haryana against Centre’s three ordinances brought by the government on June 5, which seek to empower farmers to enter into agreements with private players in the market prior to the production for sale of agri-produce.

Farmers expressed their outrage over the passage of these ordinances by the Centre which they called “anti-farmer”. They believe that the ordinances will lead to destruction of the peasants and will expose them to the whims of the market forces, said BKU leader Gurnam Singh, as quoted by news agency PTI.

What are the three ordinances that have been passed by the Centre?

• Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020
• Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020
• Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020.

Why are farmers upset about these ordinances?

The farmers are more concerned with the first one – The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020. The ordinance seeks to “provide for barrier-free trade of farmers’ produce outside the markets notified under the various state agricultural produce market laws (state APMC Acts). The Ordinance will prevail over state APMC Acts.”

Farmers fear that this ordinance will end the Mandi system of selling of agricultural products and will lead to sale of their products below the Minimum Support Price or the MSP.

The ordinance states that farmers are allowed to trade products outside, “ the physical premises of market yards run by market committees formed under the state APMC Acts” and such trade “can be conducted in any place of production, collection, and aggregation of farmers’ produce including: (i) farm gates, (ii) factory premises, (iii) warehouses, (iv) silos, and (v) cold storages.”

Protests by Farmers:

Hundreds of farmers also came out to protests and display their resistance towards the ordinances, they even blocked the Delhi-Chandigarh national highway, following which the police used force (lathi charge) on the protesting agrarians.

The district police on Friday registered cases against 300 farmers, including Bharatiya Kisan Union chief Gurnam Singh Chaduni, for damaging public property and violating restrictions on assembly during the clash that left many injured including farmers. Chaduni, however, threatened to intensify the protests if the demands were not met. “If the farmers’ demands are not met by September 14, there would be protests at all district headquarters, and on September 20, all roads in the state will be blocked,” he said.

The Haryana government on Friday formed a three-member committee to hold talks with farmers protesting against Centre’s ordinances leaving government under immense pressure to mend their equation with the cultivators.