Farmers Protest In Punjab Takes A Deadly Turn, 70-Yr-Old Protester Dies After Consuming Poison
The ongoing protests by farmers across Punjab and Haryana against two bills passed by the Lok Sabha have taken a tragic turn after a 70-year-old farmer died after consuming some poisonous substance.
Pritam Singh, a resident of Akkanwali village of Mansa district consumed the poisonous substance on Friday morning and died at a hospital later in the day.
Singh had been participating in the protest since September 15 which is being organised by the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) at Badal village, the native of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal.
Reason still unknown
The reason behind the farmer taking the extreme step is still not known, said the police.
The farmers' body, however, claimed that he was under debt.
While farmers across several parts of the country have been protesting for days, the demonstrations are the strongest in the two agrarian states of Punjab and Haryana.
Protest against two Lok Sabha bills
They are protesting against the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 as well as the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, which were passed by the Lok Sabha earlier this week.
Farmers fear they will no longer get paid at MSP, while commission agents fear they will lose their commission.?
Farmers protesting against the newly-passed Bills have also noted that they are only likely to enhance the corporatisation of the agriculture sector, leading to reduction of farmers' bargaining power and crippling them financially.
'Bills would destroy farmers'
Dimple Budhwar, president, Rohtak Anaj Mandi Arhtiyas Association said that the agriculture-related bills would completely destroy farmers.
"We are protesting against the three bills brought by the Centre which are anti-farmers, and anti-business. Our protests will continue till they are taken back. On September 20 we will gherao the offices of Deputy Commissioner (DC) across Haryana. Farmers, Aadtis and all others will take part in this, this will be a big protest," Badhwar said.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday said that farmers across the country will soon stage protests on the streets.
The government however claims that the Bills will bring revolutionary changes in the lives of farmers. "MSP was, MSP is, and MSP will continue in the future," Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said adding that both the legislations will fulfil the expectations and the need of the country from agriculture. Besides, the minister said, the farmer will get attracted towards comparatively good crops, and if the farmer produces costly crops his income will automatically increase and he will also support agriculture growth.
"These Bills will also help in agriculture export." Tomar said around 86 per cent are small farmers. "If these farmers manage to know the fixed price of their produce in advance through any law they will be able to do profit farming."
