New Delhi: Expressing concern over the January 26 violence and ongoing farmers’ protest against the three farm laws in Delhi, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Prasanna Acharya Wednesday suggested that the government should give written assurance to farmers on minimum support price (MSP) by amending the act.
The senior BJD MP, while speaking on the Motions of Thanks on the President’s Address, said that one of the main demands of farmers is MSP and to address that the government is giving oral assurance to them. The government should make amendment in the law and add provisions giving assurance on the MSP regime, he added.
“Why can’t the government put two lines in the act itself and give legal assurance to farmers on MSP?”said Acharya in the Rajya Sabha.
He also sought to know from the Union government regarding the rise in farmers’ income from 2014-15 to 2021.
Terming the January 26 violence as most unfortunate, Acharya said that no Indian can appreciate that but putting whole blame on farmers is not appropriate. The BJD MP demanded that a committee headed by a sitting Supreme Court judge should be constituted to hold an impartial enquiry in the January 26 violence at Red Fort and other places in the national capital.
The BJD MP also suggested for the incorporation of the theory of Ahimsa in the Preamble. “We have to create a mindset for Ahimsa in the country to prevent violence. We have been appealing to all political parties to incorporate the theory of Ahimsa in the Preamble to create an atmosphere of non-violence,” he said.
Acharya also put forth BJD’s demand to pass women reservation bill which seeks to grant 33 per cent reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and legislative assemblies. He said that women representation in the Lok Sabha is only 14 per cent, which is less than the percentage in Muslim majority countries.
“Muslim majority countries, which are considered to be conservative, have more women representation than India. Saudi Arabia has 20 per cent, Bangladesh has 27 per cent even Pakistan also has more women representation than India,” said Acharya while urging the government to pass the bill in the Lower House, where the BJP has absolute majority.
The senior BJD MP informed the Upper House that Odisha had suffered 190 natural calamities during the last century and urged the government to grant at least a special package to the state.
Acharya also requested the government to set up an international airport in Puri. He said that Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has requested the Centre in this regard.