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Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal joins Punjab’s AAP protest at Jantar Mantar, demands complete rollback of Farm Bills

AAP’s Punjab unit organised the protest, which was attended by ministers from the Kejriwal Cabinet, other party leaders from the national capital and members of Delhi legislative assembly (MLAs)

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal joins Punjab's AAP protest at Jantar Mantar, demands complete rollback of Farm Bills-dnm
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New Delhi, First Published Oct 12, 2020, 5:01 PM IST

New Delhi: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday participated in a protest organised by the Punjab unit of Aam Aadmi Party and demanded a complete rollback of the three recently enacted central farm laws. Addressing his party workers from Punjab at the Jantar Mantar agitation, Kejriwal said the AAP has a very clear stance on the farm laws.

AAP’s Punjab unit organised the protest, which was attended by ministers from the Kejriwal Cabinet, other party leaders from the national capital and members of Delhi legislative assembly (MLAs).

Kejriwal said his party is opposed to the anti-farmer laws and called for their abolition.

"We want a complete rollback of the three laws. It is non-negotiable," he asserted.

He suggested that a law should be introduced, where minimum support price (MSP) would be applicable to all farm produce.

"Second, a law on MSP (Minimum Support Price) must be brought in the country. The whole of Delhi is standing with farmers in this fight and as Delhi chief minister, I support you in this protest."

Kejriwal said some parties are indulging in politics over the three contentious farm laws.

"When the bill was being made a leader of the national party was present in the committee, and who congratulated the BJP for making the law, and made sure that the bill got passed and when it was passed they are protesting. Are people stupid?" Kejriwal said without naming anyone.

He reminded the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government that the party had promised before the parliamentary elections in 2014 about the implementation of the Swaminathan Committee’s report.

“They (the BJP) had promised to implement the 1.5 times increase in MSP recommended by the committee, but nothing came of it,” said the Delhi CM.

“The Centre has said 6% of the farmers’ produce is sold through MSP. If this figure holds good, then shame on the (NDA) government. The Centre should have ensured that MSP is applicable to 100% farm produce. However, they have abolished the concept of MSP altogether,” he added.

The three laws -- Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020 -- took effect from September 27 after President Ram Nath Kovind's assent.

The farmers have expressed apprehension that the Centre's farm laws would pave the way for dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporates.

The government has maintained that the farm laws will bring farmers better opportunities and usher in new technologies in agriculture.

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