Congress-ruled states may pass legislation to override farm laws

Congress-ruled states are likely to summon a special session of their assemblies soon to pass a legislation that will override the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government’s new farm laws, people aware of the development said.

Congress-ruled states are likely to summon a special session of their assemblies soon to pass a legislation that will override the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government’s new farm laws, people aware of the development said.

While Congress-ruled Punjab, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh are expected to put in place their own legislation, the union territory of Puducherry will bring in a resolution in this regard, a party leader said, requesting anonymity.(File photo)

While Congress-ruled Punjab, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh are expected to put in place their own legislation, the union territory of Puducherry will bring in a resolution in this regard, a party leader said, requesting anonymity.

No specific dates for the special sessions have been finalised yet, he added.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi has already drafted a “model bill” to help the party-ruled states override the new farm laws and ensure that no farmer gets less than the minimum support price (MSP) for their produce.

Last week, Congress president Sonia Gandhi advised party-ruled states to explore the possibilities to pass legislation under Article 254(2) to negate the BJP-led central government’s “anti-agricultural laws” and prevent the “grave injustice” from being done to farmers.

The opposition party cited the BJP government’s move in 2015 when it asked party-ruled states to bring their own laws to override the Land Acquisition Act of 2013 passed during the tenure of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) or boosting infrastructure development.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government pushed three bills to deregulate agricultural trade, which were passed controversially by Parliament, overriding demands by the Opposition for greater scrutiny and voting.

Big farmers’ groups, particularly in Punjab and Haryana, are protesting the bills, fearing deregulation will leave them vulnerable to powerful corporate agribusinesses and in an even weaker negotiating position than before.

The reforms have cost the BJP one of its oldest allies, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), which has quit the ruling alliance.

The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance, Farm Services Bill, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020 sought to liberalise farm trade, enable modern supply chains, allow agribusinesses and farmers to enter into contracts, break interlocked markets and enable seamless commodities trading. Alll three bills have been signed into law by President Ram Nath Kovind.

The Farming Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 allows barrier-free inter-state and intra-state trade of primary agricultural commodities, bypassing notified markets under the agricultural produce market committees. The bill will enable food traders to buy farmers’ produce from any market, rather than bind them to the specific markets where they are licensed to operate.

Earlier in the day, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi vowed to scrap the new farm laws if the Congress returns to power at the Centre, and alleged that the BJP-led government was acting at the behest of select corporate entities to “destroy” farmers.

Leading a protest tractor rally in Punjab against the farm legislations, Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and questioned the need for bringing in the new farm laws at the time of the coronavirus pandemic.

Union minister Jitendra Singh accused the Congress and other opposition parties of spreading “false propaganda” about the farm laws.

“Apart from guaranteeing a fixed price for farmers, the new legislations prohibit the sale, lease or mortgage of farmland. Therefore, there is no substance in the allegation by Congress leaders that big companies will exploit farmers in the name of the contract,” he said.