Hisar: A legislator of the JJP, the ruling BJP ally in Haryana, on Friday refused to accept a government post to protest the newly enacted farm laws. Barwala legislator Jogi Ram Sihag was appointed chief of the Haryana Housing Board by the state government on Thursday.
Sihag and another JJP MLA Ram Karan Kala had on September 20 participated in farmers’ protests against the Centre’s farm laws, going against their party stand on the issue. The Haryana government had on Thursday appointed new chairpersons to 14 boards and corporations in the state with immediate effect.
Three of the appointees are MLAs of the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP). I am not in favour of agriculture laws. I believe they are against farmers, common consumers and Arhitiyas (commission agents). Farmers stand to lose with these laws, which will ultimately lead to closure of mandis, Sihag told reporters at his residencehere.
Till the time these laws do not guarantee MSP (minimum support price) and the interests of common consumers are not protected, I will not accept any office of profit from the government. Therefore, I am not accepting this responsibility, he said. Asked if he will also resign as a legislator, Sihag replied: I have been elected by my constituents and if at any point they want me to do so, I will not hesitate.
But even before being an MLA, I am a farmer, I am the son of a farmer and I cannot accept this post as I feel these laws are not in favour of peasants, Sihag said. He said that he had earlier spoken to Chief Minister M L Khattar and Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala and brought to their notice my concerns about these laws.
I am not against the government… I don’t hold any grudge against the chief minister or deputy chief minister. My single point is that I am against these laws, he said. Sihag argued that when farmers are not getting MSP for their produce in the mandis, then what is the guarantee that they will get it in the open market.
Farmers will not get any benefit from these agricultural bills, he claimed. The three farm bills — the Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 — were passed by Parliament recently. Subsequently, President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the bills. The Congress, many other opposition parties and several farmers organisations have been protesting against the legislations, claiming that they will harm the interests of farmers and benefit corporates, a claim denied by the government. However, the Centre has asserted that the new laws will be beneficial for farmers and increase their income..
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