The Maharashtra government Vikas Aghadi, led by Shiv Sena, on Wednesday struck down a notice issued in August for the implementation of contentious agricultural ordinances, which were replaced by three laws passed in Parliament this month. The move came after the coalition’s key ally, Congress, threatened to boycott a state cabinet meeting later that day if it was not done.
The August 10 notification ordered the local authorities that govern the Agricultural Products Marketing Committees to implement the three central agricultural ordinances issued in June.
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Representatives of Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) are likely to raise the issue of the implementation of the recently enacted farm laws at the cabinet meeting. Both parties have opposed the laws as “anti-peasant” and their implementation in the state.
The Maharashtra government has yet to make a decision on the implementation of the laws. The head of Congress, Sonia Gandhi, recommended on Monday to the states governed by her party that they explore the possibilities of legislation under article 254 (2) of the Constitution to deny the “anti-agricultural laws” and avoid the “grave injustice “that is committed against farmers.
Congress is in power in Rajasthan, Punjab and Chhattisgarh and Puducherry. It is part of the coalition governments in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
The government of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) promoted three agricultural bills to deregulate agricultural trade. They were controversially approved in Parliament, prevailing over demands for greater scrutiny and voting.
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Large groups of farmers are protesting the laws saying deregulation will leave them vulnerable to powerful agribusinesses and in a weaker bargaining position than before.
Senior Vice Minister and PNC Leader Ajit Pawar said last week that agricultural laws will not be implemented in Maharashtra. Finance Minister and Congressional Leader Balasaheb Thorat said that all ruling parties are against the laws and that the decision not to implement them in the state will be taken collectively after due deliberation.
Congress has organized #SpeakUpForFarmers on social media to gain support against the laws. He also held a virtual farmers’ rally and gathered the signatures of 10 million farmers who opposed the laws. A delegation of Congressional leaders met with Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to demand the withdrawal of the legislation.
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