The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha assured them that a legal guarantee for MSP was their right…reports Asian Lite News
A delegation of twelve farm leaders from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Karnataka met Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in the Parliament complex on Wednesday and shared their concerns over the need for a Minimum Support Price (MSP) guarantee for crops.
The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha assured them that a legal guarantee for MSP was their right.
Later, speaking to the press, Rahul Gandhi said the Congress and the INDIA bloc allies will raise the issue of MSP in the Parliament, and also put pressure on the government on the same.
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“We have mentioned in our manifesto about a legal guarantee for MSP, which can be implemented without any hassles,” he told mediapersons.
“During the meeting, we decided that we will discuss the matter with the INDIA bloc partners and then start putting pressure on the government to frame a law on MSP,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi’s meeting with the farm leaders was also attended by senior Congress leaders K.C. Venugopal, former Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi, Raja Brar, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Dharamvir Gandhi, Amar Singh, Deepender Singh Hooda, and Jai Prakash.
Earlier, Rahul Gandhi claimed that the farmer leaders were not allowed entry to the Parliament complex. It was only after he walked out of the House that the farmers were let in.
The farmer leaders said that Rahul Gandhi has also expressed solidarity with them against the ‘atrocities’ of the Haryana government.
Notably, farm bodies Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha recently announced to launch a fresh stir to push for a legalisation on MSP guarantee.
As part of the protest, they will take out a ‘long march’ to support the Opposition’s private Bills. They will also take out a tractor rally on August 15.
At a recent press conference, the leaders of Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) said that the farmers’ ‘Delhi Chalo’ march will complete 200 days on August 31, as they appealed to the people to reach Khanauri, Shambhu, etc., on the Punjab and Haryana border on that day.
SC may set up panel to resolve farmers’ grievances
The Supreme Court on Wednesday mulled the formation of an expert panel to find a solution to the grievances of protesting farmers.
During the hearing of a plea moved by the Haryana government against the decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court ordering the removal of barricades at the Shambhu border, a bench, headed by Justice Surya Kant, told the government to take some steps to reach out to the farmers and suggested sending a neutral umpire.
Observing that there exists a trust deficit between the stakeholders and adjourning the hearing for next week, the top court asked the Centre and state governments of Haryana and Punjab to suggest individuals who can be included in the expert panel. In the meantime, it ordered the state governments to maintain a status quo at the site of protests.
On July 10, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed to “at least” open the Shambhu border between Punjab and Haryana within a week. In its order, a division bench of Justices G.S. Sandhawalia and Vikas Bahl asked the Punjab as well as Haryana government to ensure that the highway is restored to its original glory and open to one and all for the convenience of the public.
“The State of Punjab shall also ensure that the demonstrators gathered in their territory are also duly controlled as and when the situation so requires,” ordered the high court, asking all the Kisan Unions to maintain law and order. It noted that the diversion which has been made to avoid the blockage was causing great inconvenience to the general public.
The decision came on a public interest litigation (PIL) against the barricading amid increasing concerns over the disruption of traffic and its impact on daily commuters and the transportation of goods. The interstate border was sealed to prevent protesting farmers from entering Haryana.
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