Weakens federal structure: Resolution rejects Centre’s draft agricultural policy

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The policy was unanimously rejected by the parties, including AAP, Congress, SAD and BSP. Two BJP MLAs Ashwani Sharma and Jangi Lal Mahajan were not present during the two-hour discussion on the policy.

Amid talks of BJP trying to make inroads in the rural areas by engaging with protesting Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, Mann said the Centre hated Punjab and Punjabis. "They sometimes get a plane of deportees, and other times bring farm laws and policies that are against Punjab. The fact that they are withholding our funds like RDF proves this. Though the Centre has started talks with farmers, they are not talking of legal guarantee for the MSP. Since people of Punjab have been rejecting the BJP in elections, they are doing everything to discredit Punjab and Punjabis," he said.

Mann, suffering from an eye ailment, could not attend the House proceedings yesterday. Today he chose the discussion on the draft policy to hit out at his political opponents in the House, and reply to the Congress assertions yesterday about 32 MLAs being in touch with them to switch sides. "They are daydreaming... they should focus on keeping their stock together. They are not even in contact with their own party cadres or masses. They are the most corrupt and inefficient. Their previous CM was a monarch who remained glued to his chair... You (referring to Pargat Singh) have been captain of a hockey team, and ideally should know how to keep at least 11 members (MLAs) together," he said.

While rejecting the policy, MLAs from both Treasury and Opposition benches said bringing a policy on agricultural marketing, which was a state subject, was an interference by the Centre and against the spirit of the Constitution. Legislators also said the broad spirit of the policy was to promote private markets and to significantly dilute APMC markets so as to eventually make these irrelevant.

The resolution to reject the policy was brought up for discussion by Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian. The state government has already rejected the policy and sent its reply to the Centre. Since the farmer unions were demanding that a resolution rejecting the policy be passed by the Vidhan Sabha, it was brought up for discussion today.

Presenting the resolution to reject the policy, Khudian said as per Entry 28 of List-II (state list) of the Seventh Schedule under Article 246 of the Constitution, agricultural marketing was a state subject. "Our founding fathers had realised that these activities depend on the geographical conditions of a region. These conditions vary from state to state. Therefore, they had rightly put this subject in the state list. This ensures that policies are made according to the specific needs, conditions and challenges of a state... Therefore, framing of the policy by the Centre is against the spirit of the Constitution," he said.

Khudian said as far as agricultural marketing was concerned, procurement of wheat and paddy at the MSP remained the most crucial issue.

"The draft policy is totally silent on it. At the time of the farmers' agitation in 2020, one of the main issues was the apprehension of farmers that the Centre's ultimate objective was of doing away with procurement of wheat and paddy at the MSP. Total absence of any reference to procurement at the MSP in the draft has again given rise to same apprehensions in the minds of the farmers," he said.

He rued that the draft placed significant emphasis on promoting private markets.

Leader of the Opposition Partap Bajwa said when earlier three farm laws were brought in Parliament, he as a member of the Rajya Sabha had opposed it, saying it was like a death warrant for farmers. "Even this is a very anti-farmer policy and it should be rejected," he said.

Akali leader Manpreet Ayali too said the policy was against the interests of Punjab farmers.

Later, suspended Congress MLA Sandeep Jakhar took to social media to air his views on the policy. "The question arises why are we not discussing what are the possible solutions to pull farming, farmers, labourers and industry associated with agriculture, out of this crisis. What are the counter suggestions proposed by Government of Punjab? Where is the roadmap, what is our goal and where is our Agriculture Policy?" he said.