From left to right Chairman of NPCC Minority Department, Rakesh Kumar Sethi; NPCC President, K Therie; and NPCC Vice President & Chairman, Nagaland Pradesh Kisan Congress, V Lasuh during the press conference in Dimapur on November 21.
Morung Express News
Dimapur | November 21
Reacting to the withdrawal of the controversial farm laws, the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) stated that the NDA government should keep its word as announced.
The announcement was made by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s in an address to the nation on November 19, following over a year long protests by farmers. The three 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 – sought to reform the farming sector by enhancing profitability and raising income of farmers.
In a media address today in Dimapur, NPCC chief, K Therie said that the laws would hopefully be repealed in the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament as announced by the Prime Minister. “They have made so many promises and nothing has been fulfilled. And this is only yet a promise and when it is actually repealed in the Parliament then we will be able to give him a clap.”
Unfortunately, he said that it took the NDA government over a year and the loss of 700 lives to finally come to a decision to withdraw.
According to him, more than farmers protesting and the loss of lives, electoral defeats served to bring a change of mind in the BJP set up. “This is a clear indication of the downfall of the BJP and it has already begun. I think we should accept his apology but his arrogance cannot go away with apology alone,” Therie said.
On the three farm laws, he said, “The laws were in favor of the corporates to take over the affairs of agriculture business.” On the contrary, he held that marketing of agricultural produce has been running successfully for decades, without corporate interference, under the Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMC). “Why should it be disturbed? The farmers are satisfied. What is the need of these laws?” he asked.
As far as Nagaland is concerned, he held that the Neiphiu Rio-led government has no clear-cut agriculture policy. “The (state) government is looking for commission only. We have adopted APMC but we are not practicing at all,” he said. He added that in the markets, women vendors are left in the market unassisted and they government has not system in place to support agricultural marketing.
