SAD, Cong & AAP join hands in Punjab Assembly to clear bills negating Centre's 3 farm laws

In a special session of the Punjab Assembly, all the legislators on Tuesday unanimously cleared three bills to negate the impact of the farm laws passed by the Parliament. The Farmers Produce Trade & Commerce Promotion & Facilitation (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020 ensures that wheat or paddy cannot be purchased except for a price equal to or greater than the Minimum Support Price. Anyone buying below the MSP shall be imprisoned for three years.

The second bill- The Essential Commodities (Special Provision & Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020 seeks to protect consumers from hoarding and black marketing of agriculture produce. On the other hand, The Farmers Agreement on Price Assurance & Farm Services(Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020 provides that no sale or purchase of wheat and paddy under a farming agreement shall take place below the MSP. Besides this, another bill was cleared to ensure that the land of farmers up to 2.5 acres cannot be attached in any recovery proceedings.

Except for BJP MLAs who were absent from the House, the Assembly also unanimously passed a resolution rejecting the Centre's farm laws and the proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2020. Demanding their immediate annulment, the resolution called upon the Union government to pass an ordinance to protect the MSP and guarantee government procurement. Thereafter, the SAD, Congress and AAP MLAs led by Punjab CM Amarinder Singh met Governor VPS Badnore, requesting him to give assent to the bills. 

Read: More Than Half The Farmers Supporting Or Opposing Farm Laws Have No Information About Them: Survey

Read: Not Afraid Of Resigning, Says Punjab CM On Farm Laws Issue

What are the agrarian laws passed by Parliament? 

The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 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. Meanwhile, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to engage with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services. This entails the provision of contract farming. 

The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 specifies that the supply of foodstuffs including cereals, pulses, potato, edible oilseeds, and oils shall be regulated only under exceptional circumstances. President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the farm legislation despite being petitioned by Congress, Shiv Sena, NCP, LJD, AAP, RJD, IUML, TMC, Kerala Congress(M), TRS, JD(S), CPI(M), DMK, CPI and SP. Congress president Sonia Gandhi had instructed the states ruled by the party to enact separate laws to bypass the farm Acts under Article 254(2) of the Constitution

Read: Delhi BJP Holds ‘Khat Panchayat’ To Garner Support For Farm Laws

Read: Farm Laws: Farmer Groups Boycott Talks Over Ministers' Absence; Govt Says Open For Discussions