Punjab Assembly passes resolution seeking unconditional withdrawal of farm laws

Punjab Assembly on Friday passed a resolution seeking unconditional withdrawal of the three contentious farm laws by the Centre.

According to a press statement, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh introduced a resolution calling for the repeal of the farm laws, declaring that these laws cannot be accepted and allowed to remain on the statute book to the detriment of the farmers, as not only are they against the principles of cooperative federalism but their objectives are apparently preposterous.

The resolution was later passed unmously by those present in the House. It demanded the unconditional withdrawal of the Farm Laws in the interest of the farmers and the State, and to continue with the existing system of Minimum Support Price (MSP)-based government procurement of food grains.

"The House resolves to once again urge upon the Government of India to withdraw these laws unconditionally in the larger interest of the farmers, and the State and continue with the existing system of MSP-based government procurement of food grains," the resolution stated.

Captain Amarinder also appealed to the Central government to withdraw all cases and notices against the agitating farmers to build a congenial environment for an amicable solution and introduced a resolution calling for the repeal of the farm laws by the Centre.

The Punjab CM also questioned who benefits from unregulated private mandis and cess, taxes imposed on those markets. He also questioned the benefits of several other issues, including debarring Minimum Support Price (MSP) to farmers, deregulation of mandi fees, debarring farmers from approaching courts and stock limits on storage of food grains.

He also lamented that the three Bills passed unmously by the Punjab Assembly to counter the ill-effects of the farm laws had still not been granted Presidential assent.

"Though nobody dares speak out loud, the response to these questions is clear", said the Chief Minister after putting up the questions in the Assembly, adding that his government was fully conscious that the Centre has no choice but to withdraw these legislations and ensure socio-economic security of the farmers and farm workers, the release read.

( With inputs from ANI )