Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal urges Centre to shun arrogance and scrap farm laws
NEW DELHI : In a major confrontation, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal criticised the BJP-ruled Centre for its handling of the farmers’ protest, and announced that his party Aam Aadmi Party will hold a one-day fast on Monday in response to a call given by the agitating farmers.
Arvind Kejriwal asked Centre to shun “arrogance” and scrap three farm laws as demanded by agitating farmers, and bring a Bill to guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for agricultural produce.
Kejriwal said he will hold one-day fast on Monday in response to a call given by the agitating farmers and urged his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) volunteers as well as the people of the country to join in.The farmer unions have also announced a hunger strike from 8 am to 5 pm on December 14 at Singhu border where scores of farmers have been protesting since November 26.
The chief minister said the Centre should immediately accept all demands of the farmers. Kejriwal called on the Centre to shun “arrogance” and scrap the three controversial farm laws as demanded by farmers union leaders, and also urged that a Bill be brought which will guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for agricultural produce.
Addressing a virtual press briefing, the chief minister said the Centre should immediately accept all demands of the farmers who have been protesting on Delhi’s borders for the past two weeks.
Enacted in September, the three farm laws have been projected by the central government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country.
However, the protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of MSP and do away with the mandi system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.