Farmers in Punjab and Haryana have been protesting since June 5.
They were angered by three central laws promulgated through ordinances: The Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance; the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance; the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020.
The Lok Sabha on Thursday, September 17, through a voice vote passed the contentious Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020.
The passage of the bills came under severe criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party's National Democratic Alliance ally, the Shiromani Akali Dal.
In protest against the passage of the bills, Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigned from the Union Cabinet.
The government says the aim of the two bills is to provide a system for farmers to sell their products aside from the designated mandis with no threat to the existing structure and also provide farmers the chance to go into contractual agreements with buyers.
Dominic Xavier asks if the bills will really benefit farmers or if this is a ploy by the Modi government to push the agricultural sector towards privatisation.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
