Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, who has been a staunch opponent of the recently passed agricultural laws and has mobilized across the state to convince farmers not to fall into the Center’s ‘trap’, presented on Tuesday a draft resolution against the legislation and proposed electricity amendment bill during the state assembly session urged all parties to rise above politics.
The draft resolution seeks the annulment of the agricultural laws and the electricity amendment bill, as well as the promulgation of “a new ordinance that makes the acquisition of food grains at the minimum price of sustenance a legal right of the farmers and continue the acquisition by the Government of India through the FCI and other similar agencies, ”said a statement from his office.
The approval of three agricultural bills by the Center during the parliament session during the monsoon comes with the promise that India’s agricultural sector will be reformed and more avenues for investment will be opened up by private actors. But there have been protests across the country against the imposition of these newly drafted laws for fear that farmers will become slaves of big corporations. A recent survey by Gaon Connection showed that more than 50% of farmers are against the implementation of these laws.
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Several members of the opposition parties have led the charge to boycott the Center’s laws in the form of rallies, protests to weaken India’s agricultural base.
The draft resolution aims to abolish the new farm bills alongside the Electricity Bill (Amendment), 2020, and further declare a new law that would make the Support Minimum Price Policy (MSP) a legal right of farmers. He stated that the process of procuring food grains from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the Center, along with various other agencies, will continue.
He also mentioned the state assembly’s regret at the “callous and inconsiderate attitude of the Government of India in addressing the concerns of the farming community about the recent alleged agricultural legislation enacted by them.”
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Singh also presented three counter-bills at the session: the Special Provisions on Trade and Trade in Agricultural Products (Promotion and Facilitation) and the Punjab Amendment Bill of 2020, the Essential Products Bill (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment). ) of 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Guarantee and Agricultural Services (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill 2020.
He noted that the bills that have been introduced today will be the basis for Punjab’s looming legal battle and must be carefully scrutinized before being introduced.
“The draft resolution establishes that agricultural laws are against the Constitution (Entry 14 List-II), which mentions agriculture as a state issue and these laws are a direct attack to invade the functions and powers of the states enshrined in the Constitution, “the prime minister added.
(With contributions from the agency)
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