Kejriwal urges united front against Farm Bills in RS, slams Opposition's 'walkout drama'

Slamming the three farm bills passed in the Lok Sabha, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Friday strongly disapproved of the opposition's strategy. Referring to the walkout staged by Congress and other Parties before the passage of the legislation, he advocated that it was more prudent for all opposition MPs to remain present in the House and oppose the bills. Terming the farm legislation as "anti-farmer", he demanded the Centre to withdraw these bills.

The AAP chief announced that his Party would vote against the farm bills, alleging that the farmers will be exploited by big companies. He called upon all the non-BJP parties to jointly oppose the legislation on the floor of the Rajya Sabha. The bills in contention are The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020.

Read: JP Nadda Hails Farm Bills As Step Towards 'empowerment', Says 'Farmers Being Misled'

Read: Chidambaram Wades Into Row Over Farm Reform Bills; Slams Centre & Lists Challenges

The agrarian bills 

The aforesaid bills were introduced by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to replace three ordinances promulgated on June 5. As per the Centre, The Essential Commodities Act, 1955 was amended to ensure that the farmers get a good price on many commodities. Items such as food grains, oil, dal, pulses, potato have been removed from the purview of this Act. 

Meanwhile, The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 aims at freeing the farmers from the constraints of the state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby they would be able to sell their produce anywhere. On the other hand, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to engage with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services. Union Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal resigned from the Union Cabinet soon after the passage of these bills.

PM Modi hails reform legislation

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the passage of the "historic" agrarian reform bills, describing it as an important moment in the agriculture sector. He stated that these bills will free the farmers from middlemen and other barriers. According to him, the farmers will get new opportunities for selling their produce, thereby increasing their income.

The PM opined that the agricultural sector will benefit from the latest technology. In a veiled dig at the opposition, he mentioned that some forces were trying to mislead the farmers. Moreover, he gave an assurance that the current system of Minimum Support Price and government purchase of farm produce will continue.