While addressing the media at a press conference held by District Congress Committee Jammu Urban, Former Minister Yogesh Sawhney, General Secretary JKPCC and In Charge District President Jammu-U, heavily condemned the new Farm Laws enacted by the BJP Government calling them Anti-farmer farm laws. The new Farm Laws are an attempt to hand over the futures and lives of small farmers across the country to big Corporates and companies, said Sawhney. As part of a nationwide protest, Congress party has initiated a Signature Campaign in the agitation of these farm laws which are opposed by farmers’ associations and farmers throughout the country since their enactment. He also opposed the new land laws to be implemented in J&K by the BJP Government. And stated that while JKPCC President GA Mir has already launched a Signature Campaign against these land laws in Kashmir, we are launching the same in Jammu from today to fight these unjust and outrageous land laws. The new land laws are a gift by BJP to J&K, wherein they have shown how miles apart their words and deeds are, as the hundred promises made by BJP after abrogation of 370 have been a hoax, he said.
Along with Former Minister Yogesh Sawhney, prominent Congress leaders including Neeraj Gupta ,Dr Ramakan khajuria, Vijay Chib, Rajesh Sharma, Anand Gandotra, Manmohan Sharma, Chander Shekhar Sharma, Atul Sharma, kartar Singh, and Gurmeet Singh attended the press conference.
Speaking on the occasion, Sawhney said that the Farm Laws would harm not only farmers but small traders also who would be wiped out because of the government’s unreasonable and selfish attempts at pleasing the big names. It will heighten the monopoly of the corporates in the farm sector and leave our small farmers with very little bargaining power. In a country where nearly 85 per cent of farmers own less than 5 acres of land, we can’t expect a healthy and fair negotiation between the farmer and the big company. The wholesale market will lose its relevance despite its crucial role in providing timely payments to small farmers. Thus, through this signature campaign, we seek appropriate legal safeguards to protect the rights of the farmers, such as ensure a fair MSP.
He further criticised the new Land Laws through which the government has allowed for outsiders to buy land and property, in the Union Territory of J&K. Thereby, it opens all doors for economic, and socio-cultural exploitation by private stakeholders, as the Centre has not introduced any protective laws for the existing residents of the erstwhile state. With worsening job scenario, lack of employment, and economic distress, the future generations and youth of J&K already face uncertainty and insecurity over their futures, therefore, the new laws add fuel to fire. The decision is also bound to prejudicially affect the environment and ecosystem in environmentally fragile regions of Jammu and Kashmir, and would further be detrimental to the unique demography of the UT, he added.
Further targeting the BJP, Sawhney called out the BJP leaders on their false promises. He highlighted that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had last year said that “only government land would be used to establish industries, hospitals and educational institutions” and ” “nobody’s land would be taken away”. Even the Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina had said that abrogation of Article 370 does not indicate that anybody from the outside can come and buy land. A person should have stayed in the state for a designated period to be eligible to buy land. Even the Former Dy CM Nirmal Singh had said that there should be a domicile based policy. And Nirmal Singh had also said “We would suggest this to the central government as well. In Himachal and Uttarakhand, there is a provision that nobody from the outside can come and buy as much land as they want. We would want to protect the rights of Kashmiris. Unnecessary fear is being spread. The interests of Bakarwal, Balmikis and Gurjars of Kashmir will be protected.” This shows that the BJP has gone back on its own words of protecting the rights of the existing residents of J&K.
‘What we seek are not privileges but basic protective rights that this government had itself promised. Since 2019 when J&K became a Union Territory, the Centre has enacted not a single law or passed a single order meant to uplift the people of J&K. Even the jobs which were promised were not delivered and the same goes with other promises. We need laws which intend to protect the distinct identity and culture of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, while simultaneously ushering in growth and development, and this government has no intention of thinking in that direction.”