Farmers warn of nationwide protest against Modi government over RCEP negotiations
Farmers warn of nationwide protest against Modi government over RCEP negotiations
Ferozepur, September 15, 2019: The farmers in hundreds from Makhu, Mallanwala and Zira today under the banner of Kissan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee organized protest against the Modi government asking the government to be out of the meeting being held at Delhi of the negotiations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership – RCEP between the 16 countries.
They warned the Modi government of a nationwide protest if agriculture and dairy sectors were not kept out of negotiations of the RCEP.
Addressing the protesters, Satnam Singh Pannu, State President, and Inderjit Singh Kaliwala District President and Sukhwant Singh Lohka asked the government to no succumb to pressure from the 16 negotiating countries such as China, New Zealand and Australia as the mega trade agreement will put the future of 15 crore farmers at stake.
They said, the farmers have decided to do or die struggle for the anti-farmers policies of the Modi government under the pressure of foreign forces.
They said, under the said agreement, it will allow the 16 countries to enter into the markets of India of milk, fruit, grain, rice etc. without charging any tax, which will affect the economic conditions of small businessmen and farmers. The RCEP would force India to remove tariffs on 92 per cent of traded commodities besides giving more concessions to foreign players in areas such as seeds and patents. These arrangements will be disastrous for India farmers, they added.
