SHILLONG, Sep 8: Governor Satya Pal Malik has reiterated his support to the farmers who have been protesting for over nine months against the three central farm laws.
Speaking to media persons here, the Governor said that he was born in a farmer’s family and had performed farming activities after his father passed away.
“I know the plight of farmers and I agree with their demands but I don’t agree with the central government’s attitude towards them,” the Governor said.
Malik said he had held discussions with the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister on the matter and had stressed that the issue should be resolved as the farming community had become alienated.
“It should be resolved. There are some people who don’t want this to be sorted out and they are harming the Centre,” he added.
The Government of India had passed three farm reform bills — The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill – in the Monsoon Session of Parliament last year.
The passage of these bills has led to widespread protests by farmers across the country. It has also raised critical concerns over the direction in which agricultural reforms should go, the nature of these three bills and the process through which they were passed in Parliament.