Oppn delegation meets Prez, requests him to intervene in farmers' issue. (IANS Photo)
New Delhi, December 9 (PTI): A delegation of opposition leaders on Wednesday met President Ram Nath Kovind and sought repeal of the three farm laws against which thousands of farmers have been protesting on various borders of the national capital.
The five-member delegation comprised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI general secretary D Raja and DMK leader TKS Elangovan.
"We met the President and informed him of our view regarding the three farm laws. We have asked for their repeal. We informed the President that it is critical that they are taken back," Gandhi told reporters after the meeting.
He said the way the farm laws were passed in Parliament, "we feel it was an insult to farmers and that is why they are protesting in the cold weather against them".
The three bills were passed without any discussion or conversation with the opposition parties or with farmers, he said.
The opposition leaders submitted a memorandum to the President that said, "We urge upon you, as the custodian of the Indian Constitution, to persuade your government not to be obdurate and accept the demands raised by India's annadatas."
"The new agri-laws, passed in Parliament in an anti-democratic manner preventing a structured discussion and voting, threaten India's food security, destroy Indian agriculture and our farmers, lay the basis for the abolishment of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and mortgage Indian agriculture and our markets to the caprices of multi-national agri-business corporates and domestic corporates," it said.
The memorandum to the President further said that more than 20 different political parties, including many parties governing states, have extended their solidarity with the ongoing struggle of the Indian peasantry and extended wholehearted support to their call for a Bharat Bandh on December 8, demanding the repeal of the "retrograde" agri laws and the Electricity Amendment Bill.
The opposition leaders said the prime ministers have been saying that these laws are in the interest of farmers, but the question is if these laws are in their favour then why the farmers are protesting out in the cold.
