Delhi and its adjoining areas on Friday, November 27, bore the brunt of farmers' protest. The farmers who had come to the national capital with genuine demands now seem to be playing into the hands of politicians and the Khalistan group. 

This can be understood by the fact that a protestor in Punjab was threatening Prime Minister Narendra Modi with consequences similar to that of Indira Gandhi (Assassination). During the protest, some people were also seen holding posters of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, a Khalistan terrorist.

We can clearly gauge by these instances where this protest is now heading. 

About 10,000 farmers from Punjab tried to reach the capital of the country Delhi and stage a protest near the Parliament against the new agricultural laws. However, they were stopped at the Singhu border near Delhi by the police and what followed was complete mayhem. There were violence, stone-pelting incidents, some were even seen wielding swords and trying to beat the police with sticks.

Despite all the unruly incidents the farmers have been given permission by the Centre to enter the capital and protest at a place called Burari, which is only 20 km from the Parliament.

Several other farmer organisations from states like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are participating in this agitation but the protest is largely being carried out by the farmers of Punjab. 

The Centre had recently passed a new farm bill which came into effect from September 27, 2020. The first law is related to the Agriculture Produce Markets Committee (APMC). Under this law, farmers will be able to sell their crops to other buyers besides government mandis. It also gives the provision of selling their produce in other states. More interestingly it allows the farmers to sell their produce online. But the protesting farmers argue that the central government wants to end the current system of minimum support price. 

Due to this bill, the revenue earned by the states in the form of market fees will drop drastically. About 13 per cent of the total revenue earned by the Punjab government comes from these mandis. There is also an argument that this will bring an end to middlemen in the mandis.

There are two more bills but the farmers are mainly concerned about the Agriculture Produce Markets Committee (APMC). The farmers fear that this bill will end the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of their produce guaranteed by the government every year.

Source: DNA India 

BDST: 2058 HRS, NOV 28, 2020
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