West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday threatened to “agitate throughout the state and the country” if the BJP-led government at the Centre did not withdraw the “anti-farmer bills”.
In a series of tweets fired Thursday, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo said, “I am very much concerned about the farmers, their lives and livelihood. GOI must withdraw the anti-farmer bills. If they do not do so immediately, we will agitate throughout the state and the country. From the very start, we have been strongly opposing these anti-farmer bills.” she tweeted.
I am very much concerned about the farmers, their lives and livelihood. GOI must withdraw the anti-farmer bills. If they do not do so immediately we will agitate throughout the state and the country. From the very start, we have been strongly opposing these anti-farmer bills.
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 3, 2020
Her statement came ahead of a crucial round of talks scheduled to be held between the Centre and representatives of the agitating farmers during the day.
The All India Trinamool Congress has scheduled a meeting on Friday to discuss the Essential Commodities Act.
“We will discuss how the Essential Commodities Act is impacting common people and resulting in sky rocketing prices. The central government must withdraw this anti-people law,” Banerjee tweeted.
We have called a meeting of the the All India Trinamool Congress on Friday, December 4. We will discuss how the Essential Commodities Act is impacting common people and resulting in sky rocketing prices. The central government must withdraw this anti-people law
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 3, 2020
The protesting farmers had on Wednesday demanded that the Centre convene a special session of the Parliament and repeal the new farm laws as they threatened to block roads in Delhi and “take more steps” if it failed to do so.
“The GOI is selling everything. You cannot sell Railways, Air India, Coal, BSNL, BHEL, banks, defence, etc. Withdraw ill-conceived disinvestment & privatisation policy. We must not allow treasures of our nation to be transformed into BJP party’s personal assets,” Banerjee added in another tweet.
The GOI is selling everything. You cannot sell Railways, Air India, Coal, BSNL, BHEL, banks, defence, etc. Withdraw ill-conceived disinvestment & privatization policy. We must not allow treasures of our nation to be transformed into BJP party’s personal assets.
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 3, 2020