Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Saturday observed Kisan Adhikar Diwas on the occasion of the 145th Anniversary of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel and 36th Death Anniversary of Indira Gandhi today at Congress Bhavan, B.T. Park which began at 9 am, a press statement said.
The function was attended by senior Congress leaders including former Union Minister and AICC in charge Manipur Bhakta Charan Das, Okram Ibobi Singh, M. Okendra, Govindas Konthoujam among others, followed by the Satyagraha of the Congress workers against the Anti-Farmer and Anti-Labourer Laws, the press statement said.
Former Union Minister Bhakta Charan Das said, “Our country is a country of farmers. We all are here to observe the sacrifices made by Indira Gandhi. She brought Green Revolution to our country and it increased the productivity. She provided banking facilities to each and every farmer by opening banks in rural areas. She initiated major and medium irrigation projects which resulted in high productivity in agriculture sector. Without agriculture, we are nothing. Agriculture contributes a huge percentage of GDP”.
Bhakta Charan Das in his speech expressed disappointment with the ruling BJP government saying “It is very unfortunate that the hopes of the farmers ‘where they thought they would sell their products, from whom they would get their incentives, whom they thought their necessary responsibilities would be taken care of by the government’ are being crushed by the present BJP government”.
He stated that the present government had seized the rights of the farmers. All small scale industries, small businesses disappeared due to lack of attention of the government as well as the entry of the giant industries like Ambani’s and Adani’s. The Congress Party was fighting against the present government to restore the rights of the farmers.
He also observed, “I have seen in Manipur the prices of the vegetables and other essential items are rapidly increasing. The condition of the farmer and the sellers are getting worse.”
“Our Congress Party has been fighting to fulfill what Mahatma Gandhi, Vallabh Bhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru had dream for the betterment of this country” he added.
Former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, addressing the function said, “We take the opportunity today to show how strongly the Congress Party opposes the Farmers’ Bill that was passed by the Central Government. Protests will be observed across India, mainly in Congress ruled states to withdraw the bill as soon as possible as the Congress party is of the opinion that it is against the poor farmers of the country.”