Leaders and workers of the NCP in Maharashtra, led by the party's state unit president, Jayant Patil, came out in support of farmers who observed a Bharat Bandh on Tuesday to demand scrapping of the Centres' new agricultural laws.
Patil, who is also Maharashtra's water resources minister, wore black ribbon to express solidarity with the agitating cultivators.
Speaking to reporters here, Patil said, I am sporting black ribbon today to extend support to the farmers."
Asked about the BJP's claims that the new farm laws have provisions similar to what NCP chief Sharad Pawar had backed when he was the agriculture minister in the UPA government, Patil said the NDA lead constituent need not take a stand on current issues using letters written years ago.
If they listen so much to Sharad Pawar saheb...Saheb made several suggestions later (to the BJP-led NDA government) on how difficulties faced by farmers can be solved. Those should be accepted by the Centre then, Patil said.
NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik, who is also a minister, led a protest of party workers in suburban Chembur.
Launching an attack on the BJP, he dubbed it as a party which "loots" farmers produce.
It wants to loot farmers again with the farm laws... these laws will cause injustice to farmers, Malik claimed.
NCP Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule pitched for the Centre to engage in dialogue with farmers.
"Farmers are ones who provide food. It is the moral responsibility of the government to resolve (a problem) through dialogue if there is anger in any section of the society," the Baramati MP tweeted in Marathi.
Maharashtra health minister and NCP leader Rajesh Tope took to Twitter to express support to the agitating farmers.
"My farmer, my support #isupportfarmers," Tope said on the micro-blogging site.
The bandh was called against the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020, all of which were passed by Parliament.
The three farm laws enacted in September have been projected by the Modi government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country.
However, the protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of Minimum Support Price and do away with the mandis, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates. The Centre has repeatedly asserted that these mechanisms will remain in place. PTI ENM NSK RSY RSY
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