Farmers Movement Archive

Kejriwal joins Punjab AAP’s protest at Jantar Mantar, demands complete rollback of new farm laws

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday participated in a protest organised here by the Punjab unit of the Aam Aadmi Party and demanded a complete rollback of the three recently enacted central farm laws.Addressing his party workers from Punjab at the Jantar Mantar agitation, Kejriwal said the AAP had a very clear stance on the farm laws.“We want a complete rollback of the three laws. It is non-negotiable,” he asserted, adding: “Second, a law on MSP (Minimum Support Price) must be brought in the country. The whole of Delhi is standing with farmers in this fight and as Delhi Chief Minister, I support you in this protest.”Kejriwal said some parties are indulging in politics over the three contentious farm laws.“When the bill was being made a leader of the national party was present in the committee, and who congratulated the BJP for making the law, and made sure that the bill got passed and when it was passed, they are protesting. Are people stupid?” Kejriwal said without naming anyone.He further claimed that the BJP made a promise of implementing the Swaminathan Commission report but they are doing exact opposite to what was recommended in it.“When they came asking for votes they said they would implement the Swaminathan report but after winning what did they do? They are removing the MSP. When our government was formed in Delhi, government schools and hospitals were in a bad shape. So what did we do? We did not shut them, we improved them. The BJP has betrayed the farmers of this country,” he said.He was joined by senior party leader Sanjay Singh, AAP MP Bhagwant Mann and other party MLAs at the protest.The three laws -- Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 -- took effect from September 27 after President Ram Nath Kovind’s assent.The farmers have expressed apprehension that the Centre’s farm laws would pave the way for dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the “mercy” of big corporates.The government has maintained that the farm laws will bring farmer better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture. PTI

The Tribune

2020-10-12

New Delhi