Farm laws death warrant for farmers, says Kejriwal
■ CM invites farmer leaders for lunch at Delhi Assembly
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, in a meeting with farmer leaders on Sunday, said that the three farm laws are a “death warrant” to the farmers. The CM had invited farmer leaders from western Uttar Pradesh for lunch at the Delhi Assembly.
Mr Kejriwal said, “The three anti-farmer laws are death warrant to the farmers. If these laws are implemented, the agriculture of India will go into the hands of some industrialists and the farmers will be devastated. They will become labourers in their own land.”
The CM urged the Centre to repeal the agriculture reform bills that have led to an agrarian unrest in several parts of the country. He also demanded a legal guarantee of MSP for all the 23 crops and implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations in letter and spirit.
The meeting was attended by over 40 farmer leaders from western UP. Delhi transport minister Kailash Gahlot, minister for water and tourism Rajendra Pal Gautam, and AAP MP Sanjay Singh were also present.
After the meeting, Mr Kejriwal told reporters that a “grand kisan panchayat” would be held in Meerut on February 28.
Rashtriya Jat Mahasangh leader Rohit Jakhar, who was part of the delegation which met the chief minister, said the protesters would continue to remain at the borders of Delhi till the farm laws are repealed. He said that Mr Kejriwal’s government had supported the farmers’ protest by providing them water and toilets.
“Our support will go to those who will talk about our problems. The BJP government has hurt our self-respect; we will give our reply through our votes,” he said.
Earlier this month, a delegation of Samyukt Kisan Morcha leaders had met Mr Kejriwal, urging him for a judicial enquiry into the alleged “conspiracy” against the protesting farmers.
The CM had said his government will help trace the farmers who have been missing since the January 26 violence and asserted that if needed, he will approach the lieutenant governor and the Centre in this regard.
Mr Kejriwal had also visited one of the protest sites at Singhu border in December and challenged the Centre to have an open debate with them on the three laws. In a gesture of his party’s support, he had also torn the copies of farm laws in Delhi Assembly in December last year.