Farmers ‘table two bills’ at mock parliament session

Thousands of farmers from across the country yesterday held a protest march in New Delhi and also began a two-day ‘Kisan Mukti Sansad’ or a mock parliament session where “two bills” were tabled, on crop loans waiver and remunerative prices for farm produce, to highlight the government’s apathy towards the farming community.These bills now will be “passed” today as the debate by farmers, activists and political leaders could not be completed yesterday.Once these bills are “passed”, they will be sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the government has “failed” to draft such bills aiming at providing relief and support to farmers.The protest march organised by the All India Kisan Sangharsh Co-ordination Committee (AIKSCC) – an umbrella body of 184 farmers’ organisations – started from the Ramlila Maidan and ended at Parliament Street near Jantar Mantar.The AIKSCC alleged that Modi had made a promise to farmers of 50% profit margin during the 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign, which he had “forgotten”. It also said the government had failed to address issues such as rising prices of pesticides, fertilisers and fuel.Owing to the huge participation of farmers across the country, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh should hear them, the farmers said.“We want the minister to visit the Kisan Sansad and hold a discussion with the farmers,” said Kirankumar Vissa, a farmer activist from Telangana.Around 15,000-17,000 farmers from 19 states participated in the protest march.All members in the mock parliamentary session were women, who spoke about their sufferings due to the “wrong and anti-farmer policies” of the government.Lok Sabha member and farmer leader Raju Shetti “tabled the bills”, which were then discussed.“We held a discussion on these bills today but many are yet to speak. So we will continue it tomorrow. Once the bills are passed, they will be sent to the prime minister,” Shetti said.Social activist Medha Patkar was designated house speaker during the mock session.Criticising the government for “failing” to fulfil its promises, the farmers warned it of repercussions during the 2019 Lok Sabha election.Pooja More, a farmer from Maharashtra, said thousands of farmers had committed suicide as the government had no concern for them.“There are leaders who make tall claims, but do nothing. The current system is not beneficial to farmers.”