Bengal assembly passes resolution against new farm laws; sixth non-BJP state to do so

The West Bengal on Thursday becamethe sixth state to pass a resolution against the threecontentious farm laws enacted by the Centre, even as theopposition BJP staged a walkout from the assembly amid ''JaiShri Ram'' slogans.

State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee movedthe resolution under rule 169 urging the centre that the threelaws- the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement onPrice Assurance and Farm Services Act,2020; the Farmers'Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act,2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020- berepealed.

West Bengal assembly is the sixth to pass such a resolutionafter Punjab, Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Delhi and Kerala.

While the first three are ruled by the Congress, Aam AadmiParty (AAP) is in power io Delhi and the Left Front is rulingKerala.

While speaking on the resolution, Chief Minister MamataBanerjee said that the centre should either take back the newlaws or step down.

The CPI(M) and the Congress supported the resolution, butdemanded that the state government withdraw similar laws ithad passed a few years back.

Rule 169 of the assembly empowers the state government topilot a resolution in the house.

BJP MLAs led by its legislature party leader Manoj Tiggaopposed the resolution and staged a walkout shouting ''Jai ShriRam'' slogans.

Speaking on the resolution amid vociferous protests by theBJP lawmakers, Banerjee demanded that Prime Minister NarendraModi convene an all-party meeting to discuss the process ofwithdrawal of the new agri laws.

The assembly witnessed unruly scenes after the resolutionwas moved, with BJP MLAs rushing to the well of the house,claiming the TMC government has launched a ''misinformation''campaign against the farm legislations.

''We oppose the anti-farmer laws.We demand there immediatewithdrawal. Either the centre should withdraw the laws or stepdown,'' the chief minister said.

Banerjee said the union government, which has in the past,waived corporate loans, should also extend the same benefit tofarmers.

She also claimed the Delhi police ''mishandled'' the tractorrally by farmers which resulted in the situation going out ofhand on the Republic Day.

''Delhi police is to be blamed for that. What was theDelhi police doing? It was a complete intelligence failure. Wewill not tolerate farmers being branded as traitors. They arethe assets of this nation,'' she said.

Banerjee said the BJP pushed the farm laws in Parliamentusing its ''brute force'' due to majority numbers and urged thecentre to repeal the legislations.

''BJP always maligns every agitation as terrorist activity.

The laws are totally anti-farmer. They pushed it (inParliament) using brute force,'' the Trinamool Congress supremosaid.

Banerjee appealed to the Congress and the Left Front tokeep aside ideological differences and come together insupport of the farmers.

Senior Congress leader and MLA Sukhbilas Barma, althoughsupported the resolution, said that the TMC government doesnot have any moral authority to bring a resolution against thecentre's new farm laws as the state administration too hadpassed similar laws a few years back.

''Unless the TMC government withdraws similar laws it hadpassed a few years back, there is no meaning in bringing aresolution against the centre's new farm laws. The resolutionthat we had submitted had those points but the stateadministration was not willing to accept it,'' he said.

Echoing similar views, Sujan Chakarborty, whose party alsosupported the resolution, said the state government beforepointing fingers at others should set its own house in order.

He moved six amendments on the resolution, but only onewas admitted.

Later talking to reporters, Partha Chatterjee dismissedthe Congress and the CPI(M) allegations against the TMCgovernment for passing similar agri laws, saying ''ourlegislations ensured MSP for farmers and protected theirrights.'' Tigga accused the state government of misleading thepeople of West Bengal on farm laws.

''The farm laws have been supported by the farmers of thestate. The TMC along with Left and Congress are opposing it toscore brownie points ahead of the elections,'' he said.