Farmers Movement Archive

Delhi Assembly resolution seeks compensation for farmers’ families, MSP law

The Delhi assembly on Friday passed a resolution seeking compensation for families of farmers who lost their lives during the protest against the farm laws, withdrawal of cases against farmers, assurance of minimum support price (MSP) for crops, and removal of Union minister of state (home) Ajay Mishra over the deaths of farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri.The resolution, which was proposed by Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai during a special assembly session, demanded compensation for families of over 700 farmers who died during the protest.Speaking at the session, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal lauded the farmers for their patience and peaceful protest despite being called “anti-nationals”.“In my understanding, this is the longest farmers’ protest in the world. Over 700 farmers were martyred while fighting against their own government. Never thought farmers would be subjected to filthy abuses like anti-national, Khalistani, agents of China-Pakistan... The ruling party didn’t leave any chance to instigate them,” he said.The CM also noted that measures such as use of water cannons and nails drilled onto the roads to stop farmers at the Delhi borders couldn’t break their spirit.“This is not just farmers’ victory; it is the victory of democracy. In the past few years, people had started losing faith in the democratic system ever since they (BJP) came to power with a majority. But this has restored people’s faith in democracy,” said Kejriwal.He added that the government will support the farmers till the time they want to continue their protest at Delhi borders.The Bharatiya Janata Party, which is the main opposition in the Delhi assembly, said that the special session on farm laws was unnecessary, as the Centre has already initiated the process to repeal them. Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the government will repeal the three contentious laws against which farmers have been protesting on Delhi’s borders for the past one year.BJP MLA Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, leader of the Opposition in the Delhi assembly, said, “There was no need to convene this session as the Centre has said that the laws will be withdrawn. There should have been discussion on the increasing pollution levels in Delhi, the new liquor policy which several residents are opposing, the need to reduce tax on diesel, and the plight of Delhi’s farmers.”The AAP, which is gearing up for elections in Punjab where it is the principal opposition party, has supported the farmers from the start and the CM even visited the protest site in Singhu in December last year to review the arrangements made there.Deputy CM Manish Sisodia noted that Kejriwal didn’t allow Delhi Police to use stadiums as temporary detention centres to keep protesting farmers. “Initially, the Central government took their protest lightly. They thought that they would be able to handle it, as Delhi Police is under them. But Kejriwal took a courageous decision to not allow stadiums to be used as jails to keep the farmers,” he said.While the Centre has initiated the process to repeal the farm laws in the upcoming winter session, Rai said that the government should consult farmers and provide a guarantee on MSP. “The laws were prepared and passed without any discussion with the farmers. This is not good for democracy. Even now, the government is not talking to farmers,” he said.Kejriwal also called for immediate sacking of Union minister Ajay Mishra: “I do not know what is their compulsion, but the entire country wants him (Mishra) to be removed.”Mishra’s son Ashish Mishra, who is currently in jail, is the prime accused in the October 3 Tikunia violence at Lakhimpur Kheri where eight people, including four farmers and a journalist, were killed.BJP leader suspendedMeanwhile, Delhi assembly speaker Ram Niwas Goel suspended BJP MLA Jitender Mahajan from the day-long special session, and also marshalled out BJP MLAs Mohan Singh Bisht and Anil Bajpai, for disrupting the proceedings and demanding discussion on issues such as the rising pollution level and the new liquor policy.Though the other BJP MLAs walked out of the House and protested outside, some of them later came back to participate in the discussion.

Hindustan Times

27-11-2021

Delhi