Farmers Movement Archive

Farm bills a direct assault on Constitution: K Keshava Rao

HYDERABAD: TRS, which is at daggers drawn with Congress and leaves no opportunity to weaken it in the state, joined hands with the grand old party on Sunday to move a no-confidence motion against Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh, while opposing the farm bills 2020. TRS was among the 12 opposition parties, including Congress, which moved the no-confidence motion and blamed the deputy chairman for not keeping up the parliamentary tradition. “We have sought the removal of the deputy chairman. They did not allow division nor allowed to move the statutory motion. I have never seen such a demolition of the parliamentary system in my life. They did not conduct voting and passed the bills with a voice vote, which is against Constitutional norms,” TRS parliamentary party leader K Keshava Rao told TOI over phone from Delhi. “It is a direct assault on the state rights, violates the spirit of the Constitution and cooperative federalism,” he said earlier during a discussion on the bills.“You are pitting poor farmers against corporates. The central government is out to kill the golden goose.” “Did you consult us (TRS)? Did you consult the people? Telangana is giving free power to 69 lakh farmers. You (Centre) don't fund us. Even our rightful share of GST is not being released and you tell us how to manage the farmers and agriculture,” Keshav Rao said. The MP said presently there were 191 agriculture produce marketing committees, 6,166 traders, 4,613 commission agents each of whom have 100 assistants and 2,099 millers. “What will happen to all of them? There are 340 ginning mills with over 4,000 employees who would now stand the risk of losing jobs with these bills,” he said. TRS floor leader in the Lok Sabha, Nama Nageswara Rao, termed it as a black day for farmers. “The new bills will turn the farmers into beggars. The slogan of Jai Jawan jai Kisan will go for a toss. The Centre is suppressing the voice of the farmers,” he said.

The Times of India

2020-09-21

Hyderabad