Centre flayed for ‘anti-farmer’ policies
Ongole: Members of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and other farmers’ and labour unions held a protest in front of the Collectorate here on Monday, marking the martyrdom anniversary of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev. The demonstrators raised their voices against the Union government’s “anti-farmer and anti-labour” policies.
SKM district convener Chunduri Rangarao, who presided over the event, condemned the US bilateral trade agreement, arguing it poses a serious threat to domestic farmers growing crops such as maize, soybean, Bengal Gram, and subabul. He questioned why import duties on American agricultural products are being waived while Indian farm exports face a 17 percent tariff in the US. The other speakers also criticised the Telugu Desam Party for its failure to take up the cause of Bengal Gram cultivators’ suffering under the central government’s flawed import-export policies. Farmer leaders demanded that grain stocks languishing in cold storage for three years be released into open markets before the new crop season. Labour leaders further demanded the immediate withdrawal of the four Labour Codes that replaced 44 existing labour laws. A demonstration by Arunodaya Cultural Federation drew widespread appreciation from the gathered public.
