Farmers Movement Archive

Farm bills 2020: CM Kejriwal joins AAP protest at Jantar Mantar

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday joined the protest by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders at Jantar Mantar against the Centre’s three new farm legislations.AAP’s Punjab unit organised the protest, which was attended by ministers from the Kejriwal Cabinet, other party leaders from the national capital and members of Delhi legislative assembly (MLAs).Kejriwal said his party is opposed to the anti-farmer laws and called for their abolition. He suggested that a law should be introduced, where minimum support price (MSP) would be applicable to all farm produce. Also read: All you need to know about the economic arguments in favour of the three farm billsHe reminded the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government that the party had promised before the parliamentary elections in 2014 about the implementation of the Swaminathan Committee’s report. “They (the BJP) had promised to implement the 1.5 times increase in MSP recommended by the committee, but nothing came of it,” said the Delhi CM. “The Centre has said 6% of the farmers’ produce is sold through MSP. If this figure holds good, then shame on the (NDA) government. The Centre should have ensured that MSP is applicable to 100% farm produce. However, they have abolished the concept of MSP altogether,” he added.He gave the example of his party’s ascent to power in 2015. “In Delhi, when the AAP came to power, the condition of government schools was pathetic. But, we did not shut down these schools. We improved their condition in a big way. The Centre should have addressed the problem this way. Hospitals were in a bad state, but we did not shut them. We improved the healthcare facility,” he said.“The Central government has backstabbed farmers,” he alleged. He claimed that some parties are indulging in doublespeak. “They say one thing in Parliament, but something else outside,” he alleged. “In Punjab, there is a leader, who was a part of the committee that had drafted these anti-farmer legislations. He got the bills passed in both the Houses of Parliament. However, he took up the farmers’ cause outside Parliament,” he further alleged.

Hindustan Times

12-10-2020

Delhi