Ruchika M Khanna
Tribune news service
Chandigarh, October 20
In a historic move, the Punjab Vidhan Sabha unanimously passed three bills on Tuesday to counter controversial agricultural laws enacted by the Union government last month. Among other things, the bills make the purchase of wheat and rice below the minimum support price (MSP) a punishable offense.
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There is also a provision to charge fees to corporate houses that make purchases outside of mandis. The rate will be used for the welfare of the farmers.
I am willing to resign or be fired, but I will not bow to injustice to farmers.
The second day of the special session began with Captain Amarinder Singh introducing a resolution rejecting the Center’s laws and the proposed electricity amendment bill. He asked the Center to repeal these laws and enact an ordinance establishing that the acquisition of agricultural products in the MSP is a legal right of farmers and to continue to purchase cereals through the FCI and other agencies.
He urged the Center not to allow the situation to get out of control. “If the laws are not repealed, angry youth may take to the streets and join protesting farmers, leading to chaos,” he warned.
Although the Opposition promised support for the bills, some MLAs raised questions about their validity. The only ones absent from the House were the two BJP MLAs: Dinesh Singh and Arun Narang. The Aam Aadmi Party first endorsed the Bills despite complaining that the MLAs were not given time to review them. Later that night, the party questioned the powers of the state to overturn the laws passed by the Center.
Akali Dal MLA Bikram Singh Majithia asked what would happen if the governor refuses to send the bills for presidential approval, or if the president refuses to consent. The Chief Minister said that he was aware that such a situation could arise. “Then we will fight the battle legally, but we will not allow anyone to harm the interests of the Punjab farmers,” he said.
MLA Congress Navjot Singh Sidhu also spoke on the bills. He said Punjab generated a surplus of food from the country and fed 80 million people. “It is a conspiracy to harm the interests of Punjab farmers and let the corporations rule the sector,” he alleged.
Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal introduced another bill to amend the 1908 Code of Civil Procedure. The bill seeks to protect farmers from the seizure of land (less than 2.5 acres) in any proceeding from Recovery. This bill was also approved unanimously.
What the bills presented by the congressional government propose
Agricultural Products Trade and Trade (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill (Punjab Amendment): buy wheat, rice under the MSP to invite 3 years in jail, fine.
Farmers Agreement (Empowerment and Protection) Bill on Price Guarantee (Punjab Amendment): Contractors to buy from MSP. Violators face a 3-year prison sentence.
The Essential Commodities Bill (Punjab Amendment): It maintains powers to set the limit of stocks of food grains with the state. Protect consumers from hoarding and black marketing.
Civil Procedure Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020 – Protects farmers from land seizure (below 2.5 acres) in reclamation procedures.
Agricultural unions distrust, meeting today
The protesting agricultural unions will receive a call on their next course of action on Wednesday. Union leaders fear the bills will not stand up to the scrutiny of the law. They are also disappointed that the MSP has been guaranteed only for wheat and rice.
Joint delegation meets with Governor
Within hours of the bills being passed, a joint delegation from Congress, AAP, SAD, and the Lok Insaaf Party, led by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, met with Governor Singh Badnore’s Vice President, requesting their approval of the bills before sending them to the president.
