Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today urged all political parties to fiercely against the Centre over passage of the two farm Bills in Rajya Sabha and alleged that it would lead to famine in the country.
“Even as the country is reeling under Covid-19 pandemic, the Centre is trying to create famine through these farm Bills. The Centre is snatching the rights of the states and doing things as per their own will. It is continuously bulldozing the country’s federal structure,” she said at a Press Conference in Nabanna.
Accusing the BJP of killing democracy, Miss Banerjee said that she will fight the “fascist” government in Parliament and on streets as well as strongly condemned the suspension of eight Rajya Sabha MPs. “We are proud of our MPs and whatever they did in the Parliament yesterday was absolutely correct,” she said.
The eight MPs who were suspended today for a week over yesterday’s chaos in the House during the passage of the two farm bills are namely Derek O’ Brien (AITC), Sanjay Singh (AAP), Rajeev Satav (INC), KK Ragesh (CPI-M), Syed Nasir Hussain (INC), Ripun Bora (INC), Dola Sen (AITC) and Elamaram Kareem (CPI-M).
The Trinamul Congress women’s wing led by senior minister Chandrima Bhattacharya would stage a protest tomorrow followed by a similar protest by the students’ wing the next day. She said that the protests would be held small-scale due to Covid and alleged that the BJP was spreading the infection by holding meetings and rallies regularly.
All Opposition parties and the common people should come together and fight these bills tooth and nail, she said adding that she was ready to be the backbencher in the protest while other parties and the people can remain in the forefront.
“The Centre has done nothing to control the price rise of essential commodities. Now, it is bulldozing these two anti farmer legislation. These bills will lead to food crisis as farmers will be deprived as they would not get the Minimum Support Price,” she said adding that the worse affected would be the small and marginal farmers as they would be compelled to go for distress sale or commit suicide.
The Bengal government, on the other hand, provides subsidies to farmers and provides all kinds of assistance to sell their produce, she said.
Two key farm bills ~ The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 ~ dubbed by the government as the biggest reform in agriculture, were on Sunday passed by Rajya Sabha by voice vote amid chaotic scenes by Opposition members who demanded that they be referred to a House panel for greater scrutiny.
Mamata fumes at suspension of RS Opp MPs
Earlier, Ms Bannerjee tweeted: Suspension of the 8 MPs who fought to protect farmers interests is unfortunate & reflective of this autocratic Govt’s mindset that doesn’t respect democratic norms & principles. We won’t bow down & we’ll fight this fascist Govt in Parliament & on the streets.
Alleging BJP of running the country in “Hitlery” style she blamed the saffron party of spreading lies on social media, forcefully turning all lies to truths and taking up the cause of patriotism as per requirement. She also criticised the Centre’s proposal to allow industries with 300 workers to hire and fire. “People who don’t have capacity of eating nakuldana are aiming for kamalabhog” she added