New farm laws meant to secure poll funding: Delhi CM
At a special session of the Delhi assembly, Kejriwal tore up copies of the three farm laws in protest against the legislation.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday attacked the Centre and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday, saying the three laws aimed at opening up trade in agriculture had been designed not with the interests of farmers in mind, but to ensure electoral funding for the ruling party.
At a special session of the Delhi assembly, Kejriwal tore up copies of the three farm laws in protest against the legislation. The assembly passed a resolution tabled by revenue minister Kailash Gahlot demanding that the Central government repeal the laws immediately.
Farmers, mainly from the states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have massed at border entry points to Delhi since November 26 in a protest was set off by three laws pushed through by the government in September that allow agribusinesses to trade with minimal regulation, permit traders to stockpile large quantities of food commodities for economies of scale and lay down new contract farming rules. Farmers say they promote corporate interests, and not theirs.
“What was the hurry to get the farm bills passed in Parliament during the pandemic? It happened for the first time that three laws were passed without voting in Rajya Sabha, even when several members were opposing the move… In the last 6-7 years, the BJP has made elections so expensive. So, much of the money is spent on elections (by political parties). These laws have not been passed for the farmers. These laws have been made to ensure election funding for the BJP,” Kejriwal told the House.
After the chief minister’s speech, MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came to the well of the House shouting “jai jawan jai kisan” after which the speaker adjourned the House until 11 am on Friday. A few AAP legislators even burnt copies of the farm laws outside the House.
Urging the Central government to withdraw the farm laws, the chief minister said the farmers have been protesting for 20 days now and one farmer has died everyday in the agitation.
“How many sacrifices will the farmers have to make to get their voices heard? Today, the Delhi assembly rejects all the three farm laws and appeals to the Central government to take back the legislation. I request the Centre not to be worse than the British,” he said.
“Big businessmen will buy produce at throwaway prices from farmers and sell it at high rates in retail {outlets} across the country, which will lead to inflation. It is being said that the farmers are being misguided. Farmers are not being misguided. It is the BJP leaders and supporters who are being misguided,” he said.
Kejriwal said that today each protesting farmer had become a Bhagat Singh. He reminded members of the House of a similar movement Pagdi Sambhal Jatta that took place in Punjab in 1907 against three laws --Bari Doab Act (related to canals), Punjab Land Colonisation Act, and Punjab Land Alienation Act -- of the British era.
“At that time also, the British government had suggested some amendments in the laws and they reiterated that they will make some changes in the laws in several rounds of discussions that were held. But the farmers were adamant about revoking and repealing the three laws. In the end, and after nine months, the Britishers had to repeal the three laws…I am in pain while I tear these three farm laws, as I did not intend to do this. But today, when a farmer of the country is sleeping on the road in 2°C temperature, I cannot betray the jawans and kisaans of my country. I am first the citizen of this country, and then the chief minister,” he said.
BJP’s New Delhi MP and spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi criticised Kejriwal for his “doublespeak” on the farmers’ issue.
“Arvind Kejriwal puts chameleons to shame when it comes to changing colours within seconds. After notifying one of the farm laws in Delhi, he tore the copies of the Acts in Delhi Assembly today. He is the expert of U-turns and a champion of politics of bluff,” she said.
Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar tweeted, “Yet another hypocrisy of @ArvindKejriwal! He tore off copies of the same farm reform bills today in Delhi Assembly which he had notified in November in the Delhi Gazette.”
To this, a government spokesperson said all the three farm laws were brought in and implemented by the Central government and that the state governments had no role to play in it.
“The Delhi government not notifying it would not have made any difference in the city. The day the President signed the black farm laws, these laws became effective across the entire country from that day itself. It is no longer in the hands of the state,” the official said.
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