Farmers' protest: RLP leader Hanuman Beniwal begins march towards Delhi in protest against farm laws

Amid the ongoing farmers' protest at the gates of the national capital, the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) leader and Member of Parliament (MP) Hanuman Beniwal on Saturday began a demonstration march towards Delhi.

"Thousands of farmers will meet in Kotputli and then decide the further course of action," the RLP leader said while speaking to the reporters here.

Expressing his support to the farmers, the RLP leader said the present situation is a "do and die" situation and "Rajasthan farmers stand in solidarity with the farmers across the country".

"Government should work to raise the minimum support price (MSP) and also listen to farmers' representatives regarding their demands and grievances," the leader, who is a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally, said.

Urging that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government should leave its stubbornness and take the decision for the farmers' benefit, Beniwal said that the government should implement Swaminathan Committee report.

"Implement Swaminathan Aayog report so that MSP will increase and the farmers will be benefitted," he said.

The National Commission on Farmers (NCF) was constituted on November 18, 2004, under the chairmanship of Professor MS Swaminathan to address the nation-wide calamity of farmers' suicides in India. The NCF submitted four reports in December 2004, August 2005, December 2005 and April 2006 respectively. The fifth and final report was submitted on October 4, 2006. The reports contain suggestions to achieve the goal of "faster and more inclusive growth" of farmers and are collectively termed the MS Swaminathan report for farmers.

Reminding the promises of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, Beniwal said that farmers were on the streets with the hope that "if Article 370 can be revoked, the laws could also be repealed or amended".

"There is no harm for the government if it repeals the laws," he added.

He appealed to PM Modi to stop the protest by "withdrawing or amending the laws as per the agitating farmers' demand".

(ANI)

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