Are Punjab farmers from Pak… can topple govts, says Pawar

ADDRESSING a farmers’ rally at Azad Maidan in Mumbai Monday, NCP president Sharad Pawar accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of displaying full indifference and insensitivity in direction of farmers protesting for the final 60 days on the outskirts of Delhi, and warned that indignant farmers might carry down governments.
Speaking on the rally referred to as in solidarity with the farmers protesting on Delhi borders, Pawar mentioned, “For almost 60 days, farmers across Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been agitating on the outskirts of Delhi, braving the winter. The Prime Minister has not once bothered to enquire about them. He has not even shown any concern. What does it show? Are they not our farmers? Do Punjab farmers belong to Pakistan?”
Farmers and tribals from 21 districts of Maharashtra, led by the All India Kisan Sabha, have been current on the rally, which drew a considerable crowd. Apart from the NCP, leaders of the Congress and Samajwadi Party have been current below the banner of the Samyukta Shetkari Kamgar Morcha. While the Shiv Sena, that’s a part of the ruling coalition within the state with the NCP and Congress, was mentioned to have prolonged its help to the protest, no distinguished chief of the get together was current on the rally.
Criticising the haste with which the federal government used its majority to hurry the contentious farm legal guidelines by way of Parliament, Pawar mentioned, “Let it be known that if you persist with laws which are detrimental to farmers, it will have serious ramifications. If the laws are enforced, farmers will be uprooted. And any attempt to do so will lead to farmers using their might to uproot the government.”
Congress minister and its Maharashtra chief Balasaheb Thorat mentioned, “The state government is not going to enforce these laws. A group of ministers is working on laws which would be pro-farmers.”
Pawar mentioned the way during which the farm legal guidelines have been handed quantities to violation of the Constitution. “Ideally, the government should have heeded the Opposition’s demand and worked towards consensus by referring the laws to a select committee of Parliament. It would have helped bring flawless laws and also helped the government avoid confrontation.”
Backing the MSP system, the NCP chief mentioned, “It is mandatory. It should not only recover production costs, but more. And in case prices drop below the MSP, the government should intervene and procure crops up to 100 per cent.”
Pawar mentioned the Manmohan Singh authorities had adopted the above coverage, and accorded the very best precedence to farmers’ calls for. “I served for 10 years as the Union Agriculture Minister and I know for sure how great the contribution of Punjab farmers has been in providing wheat which feeds the entire country.”
Pawar additionally questioned why Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari had left Mumbai for Goa on Monday, when the protesters had deliberate to submit a memorandum to him. “He has the time to meet Kangana (Ranaut, who met the Governor following the BMC action against her) but not farmers! As the head of state it was his moral duty to remain in Mumbai… Maharashtra has never seen such a governor before. The farmers’ delegation would have just visited the Raj Bhavan and presented a memorandum listing their demands. But even that basic courtesy was not extended by the Governor.”
An official assertion issued by the Raj Bhavan mentioned, “Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari who holds additional charge of Goa had to address the first session in Goa’s Vidhan Bhawan on Monday. This was conveyed in advance to Samyukta Shetkari Kamgar Morcha leaders Dhananjay Shinde and Prakash Reddy.” The Governor’s workplace had additionally knowledgeable that within the absence of Koshyari, his Principal Secretary would meet the farmers’ delegation at 5 pm, the assertion mentioned.

Shinde admitted the Raj Bhavan had knowledgeable them about this, however mentioned, “Our point is the Governor could have adjusted the timing. His speech at the Goa Vidhan Bhavan was in the morning at 11.36 am. He could have given us time at 6 pm or 7 pm… Farmers from distant areas across the state had come to Mumbai… The Centre does not want any discussion in Parliament, they don’t want to listen to anybody.”
Apart from Thorat, Congress leaders Sunil Kedar and Bhai Jagtap have been current on the rally.
Several college students’ federations, and activists Medha Patkar, P Sainath and Teesta Setalvad, additionally got here collectively below the Samyukta Shetkari Kamgar Morcha. Addressing the rally, Sainath mentioned, “The presence of farmers in such large numbers in Mumbai shows that the farmer protest is not Punjab-centric, as the government is trying to depict.”