Chandigarh: Several Punjabi singers and actors, including Harbhajan Mann, Sidhu Moosewala and Ranjit Bawa, on Friday came out in support of farmers protesting against the agriculture-related Bills passed in Parliament recently. While Moosewala held a protest in Mansa, Harbhajan Mann and Ranjit Bawa joined the agitation in Nabha.
Punjab farmers on Friday took to the streets on a call of “bandh” given by several outfits in protest against the contentious farm Bills. Harbhajan Mann said they will go to any extent to save farming. He was accompanied by singers and artistes Ranjit Bawa, Tarsem Jassar and Kulwinder Billa. Addressing the gathering, Bawa exhorted farmers to intensify their protest against the farm Bills. He said they are also as much upset as farmers over the legislations.
Bawa said the government should have first taken the approval of farmers before drafting the Bills. Sidhu Moosewala, along with other artistes, held a protest in Mansa district and exhorted the youth to oppose the legislations.
Moosewala said only six per cent farmers in the entire country are getting the minimum support price. He demanded that the anti-farmer Bills be withdrawn and said that farmers in Punjab will not allow any injustice. Some artistes backed farmers on social media.
Punjabi actor Guggu Gill on his Facebook page said, Before an actor, I am a farmer and I also stand with farmers in this campaign. I appeal to the government to reconsider these Bills. Farmers have expressed apprehension that the Centre’s farm reforms would pave a way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.
Parliament recently passed the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill; Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill; and Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill. The legislations are yet to get the nod of the president.
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