‘Farm laws made to ensure poll funding for BJP’: Kejriwal’s sharp jibe at Centre

Kejriwal tore copies of the three farm laws during the House proceedings to mark his protest against the controversial legislation even as the assembly passed a resolution tabled by revenue minister Kailash Gahlot demanding that the Central government should repeal the laws immediately.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said the three farm laws are not meant for farmers but have been made to ensure election funding for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as he launched a scathing attack on the Centre.

Kejriwal, who is also the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), took a jibe at the BJP and said the national leadership is now asking big party leaders to convince all the farmers (ANI Photo)

Kejriwal tore copies of the three farm laws during the House proceedings to mark his protest against the controversial legislation even as the assembly passed a resolution tabled by revenue minister Kailash Gahlot demanding that the Central government should repeal the laws immediately. Kejriwal was speaking at the one-day session of the Delhi Assembly.

“What was the hurry to get the farm bills passed in Parliament during the pandemic? It has 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 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 members of the House.

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Urging the Central government to withdraw the farm laws, the chief minister said it has been 20 days since the farmers are protesting and each day at least one farmer is sacrificing his life 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 legislations. I request the Centre not to be worse than the British,” he said.

Kejriwal, who is also the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), took a jibe at the BJP and said the national leadership is now asking big party leaders to convince all the farmers. “They (the BJP) have taught just one line to all their party leaders that the farmers will be able to sell their produce anywhere across the country. At least tell them where should the farmers sell? Big businessmen will buy produce at throwaway prices from farmers and sell it at high-rates in retail 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 is a Bhagat Singh. “As part of BJP’s campaign to convince farmers, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath told farmers that these laws will benefit them as their land will not be taken away from them. How is that a benefit? The farmers already had their land. He said, mandis will not be finished. Again, how is that a benefit as that system already exists?”