Former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda reached the sit-in site at Makdouli toll on Monday to support the agitating farmers. Mr. Hooda said he had not seen such a democratic, peaceful and disciplined movement in his political life.
‘Demands justified’
Addressing the farmers, Mr. Hooda said he had been supporting the farmers’ agitation as their demands were justified and they were fighting for their rights.
“I am with the farmers from the very first day when they started protesting soon after the ordinances were issued. It is the duty of every person who eats the food grown by our farmers to rise above caste, religion, region, language and political beliefs to support this movement,” he said.
Mr. Hooda lauded the farmers for running a democratic, peaceful and disciplined movement on the borders of the national capital for more than a month. “I have never seen such a disciplined movement in my life. For this, I salute the passion and commitment of every farmer. I demand that the government abandon its adamant attitude and accept the demands of the farmers as such stubbornness has no place in a democracy,” he said.
Mr. Hooda said this was a movement not only for the farmers, but also for every worker and consumer as the three agricultural laws would also have a major impact on their lives. “If these laws are implemented, then the labourers and the poor sections will stop getting get subsidised foodgrains over a period of time,” he warned.
Mr. Hooda said the prices of pulses, vegetables and grains would rise as the limits on hoarding were being removed. He said the government should repeal these three laws which adversely affect every citizen and provide a law that guarantees minimum support price (MSP) for the welfare of the farmers.
