Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Sep 25: Activists of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) on Friday September 25 staged a protest at Mini Vidhana Soudha here against the government over the Farm Bills passed by the Parliament.

Farmers across the country are on Friday protesting against the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, passed by Parliament during the curtailed monsoon session that ended on Wednesday September 23.

Addressing the protestors, SDPI president Athaulla Jokatte said, "The government has introduced anti-farmer ordinances which is highly condemnable. This has pushed the farmers into a critical situation. If the ordinance had been in favour of the farmers the government would have discussed and revealed the contents of the bill to the nation.

"It is harsh that during this Covid situation, an anti-farmer ordinance was introduced. This will severely effect the farmers. Instead of solving the problems faced by the farmers, they have been pushed further to poverty," said Athaulla.

"Now an atmosphere has been created where investors can buy agricultral land from farmers. Farmers already are under the burden of loans, if the investors buy these agricultural lands then they will have to work as bonded labours," he added.

"When students protested against the National Register of Citizens (NRC) they were termed as 'terrorists', and those who stand in favour of Dalits have been called 'urban naxals', now it is the farmers' turn, who are raising their voice against the government. The day is not far when farmers too will be called terrorists and arrested," he said.

Mangaluru south zone SDPI president Suhail Khan, secretary Akbar Kudroli and others were present.