Tamil Nadu Assembly adopts resolution against Centre's farm laws, Opposition stage walkout

The Tamil Nadu Assembly, on Saturday, adopted a resolution moved by Chief Minister MK Stalin, urging the Centre to withdraw three farm laws it had passed last year. Chief Minister Stalin also took a decision to withdraw all cases filed against farmers who staged protests against the three farm laws. The resolution prompted BJP and AIADMK MLAs to stage a walkout. 

Earlier, in June, the Tamil Nadu government had announced it would oppose the three new farm laws and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in its ongoing budget session. 

Opposition parties stage walkout

Reacting to the move, state legislators from the Bharatiya Janata Party and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (AIADMK) walked out of the Assembly opposing the resolution against the three farm laws enacted by the Central government.

Three farm laws and farmers' protest

Last September, the Centre had rolled out three governance and administrative reforms in agriculture amending the Essential Commodities Act to enable better price realisation for farmers by attracting investments. The purpose of the legislations were to make the agriculture sector competitive.  

As per the legislation, food items including cereals, edible oils, oilseeds, pulses, onions and potatoes will be deregulated and stock limits will be imposed under extreme conditions. Under the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020, the Centre provided a framework for the protection and empowerment of farmers with reference to the sale and purchase of farm products overriding all state APMC laws.

The three farm laws saw widespread protests across Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, with thousands of farmers blocking roads. At several locations, police were forced to baton charge to disperse agitators. Protests against the three laws continue even now, and in the latest development, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), a platform of protesting farm unions, has called for a nationwide strike or Bharat bandh on 25 September, exactly a year after Parliament passed the three agricultural reform laws.

Anurag Thakur slams opposition for 'politicising' Farm Laws

Meanwhile, Union Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Anurag Thakur, on Thursday, lashed out at Opposition parties for politicising the farm laws. While addressing a public briefing from Himachal Pradesh, Thakur said that the opposition parties pretend to support farmers but have done nothing for them in the past. Informing that the Swaminathan Committee report was not implemented under Congress' rule, he said that the report was only implemented after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power at the Centre.