DON’T APPROVE CONTENTIOUS FARM BILLS, OPPN TELLS PRESIDENT

NEW DELHI: Opposition parties on Wednesday requested President Ram Nath Kovind to withhold his assent for the contentious farm bills, alleging that the government had “undermined rules, regulations and procedures” in pushing the legislation through the Rajya Sabha on Sunday.

“The Constitution of India was torn to shreds in the temple of democracy” by the government, leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, said on Wednesday.

On behalf of 18 opposition parties, the senior Congress leader met the President and told him that the passage of the farm bills in the Rajya Sabha was “unconstitutional”, and that he should return the bills without signing them.

The opposition parties included the Congress, TMC, CPI, Communist Party of India (Marxist), RJD, AAP, Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Kerala government on Wednesday decided to move the Supreme Court against farm bills passed by the parliament, saying the move was a violation of federal structure as agriculture falls into the concurrent list.

Earlier, state agriculture minister VS Sunil Kumar had sought legal opinion and got advice that these bills can be challenged in the apex court. The state cabinet which met on Wednesday discussed the issue in detail and felt that the union government’s decision was a naked interference into powers of states and against the spirit of federalism.

“Agriculture falls into the state list as per the seventh schedule of the constitution. Not a single state was consulted before bringing these bills and farmers’ bodies were also kept in the dark. We feel these legislation will only benefit big corporate engaged in the sector,” said Kumar, who attended the cabinet proceedings online after he tested positive.

“Lakhs of farmers across the country are eking out a miserable life and many have committed suicide. Reeling under pandemic, now the Modi government has brought in a fresh set of policies in the name of reforms. They will only serve interest of big farming corporate,” Kumar said.