Farmers Movement Archive

Kerala assembly passes resolution for immediate repeal of farm laws

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution demanding the immediate repeal of the three central farm laws that have triggered an unprecedented protest of farmers across the country. The lone BJP member in the 140-member state assembly, O Rajagopal, defended the farm laws in the discussion but did not oppose the resolution. "I had openly expressed my differences of opinion about the resolution during the discussion but did not oppose it since the popular sentiment in the House was to pass it unanimously. I stood with the democratic spirit and general consensus,’’ he said. However, he later claimed in a statement that he did not support the resolution. The speaker did not ask for those who opposed the resolution and that was why he remained silent then, he said. The resolution, presented by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in a nearly two-hour-long special session convened in compliance with Covid-19 protocols, said Kerala would be the worst hit if the farmers' agitation continued as it was totally dependent on other states for food grains. Terming the laws as pro-corporate and anti-farmer, he said the laws were passed when the agriculture sector in the country was facing a severe crisis. The bargaining power of farmers will be lost and this will put their lives in deep misery. The laws do not prescribe any legal protection for farmers and they will not be able to fight the corporates, he said. The system of the Union govt procuring food grains from farmers should continue. Under the new laws, a minimum support price is not guaranteed for farmers and the centre is in fact shirking the responsibility of fixing it, he said. As agriculture is the state subject and it is an issue which directly affects the states, the Union government should have convened meetings of the inter-state committees and held detailed consultations. There was no discussion even in the standing committee of the Parliament, he said. Replying to the UDF charge that the state was going soft against the Centre, Vijayan said the state government was exploring the possibility of enacting a legislation to bypass the farm laws. Governor Arif Mohammed Khan had earlier turned down the government plea to convene a special session on December 23 to discuss the contentious laws. The session was held after ministers A K Balan and V S Sunil Kumar met him and apprised him of the government decision.

The Times of India

2021-01-01

Thiruvananthapuram