Kejriwal tears copies of farm laws, likens agitating farmers to Bhagat Singh

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday tore up copies of the farm bills during a special Assembly session on Thursday, and urged the Centre “not to become worse than Britishers”. He also asked the Centre “what was the hurry to get the farm laws passed during pandemic”.

“I hereby tear (up the) three farm laws in this Assembly and appeal to the centre not to become wors(e) than (the) Britishers. What was the hurry to get farm laws passed in parliament during (the coronavirus) pandemic?” CM Kejriwal asked during a session called to discuss the farmers’ protest.

“Every farmer has become Bhagat Singh… government is saying they are reaching out to farmers and trying to explain benefits of the farm bills… The UP Chief Minister told farmers they will benefit as their land won’t be taken away. Is that a benefit?” the CM said.

Hours later the BJP hit back, with ANI quoted party MP Meenakshi Lekhi as saying: “Centre’s farm laws were notified in Delhi Gazette on November 23. Now, they’re tearing copies of same act in Delhi Assembly. This is opportunistic politics… The Delhi Chief Minister is the new chameleon… he can change colours without qualms.”

Supporting the famers’ protest and demanding the repeal of the laws, Kejriwal said, “We refuse to accept these laws as they are against the farmers. More than 20 farmers have lost their lives in 22 day of the protest. I want to ask the Union government that how many more lives you want.”

AAP MLA and former minister Somnath Bharti and another MLA Mohinder also registered their protest against the laws by tearing their copies.

Supporting the farmers, Delhi government minister Kailash Gehlot said, “The Delhi government and this assembly fully supports the farmers’ protest. All the demands of the farmers are justified and they should get the full value of their crops. As soon as the Chief Minister got the information that the farmers are reaching Delhi, he directed the senior officials to visit the areas where they are protesting and provide them adequate facilities.” “The Central government had sought permission to convert stadiums of Delhi into jails so that farmers can be arrested there but the Delhi government refused. The farmers are asking minimum support price (MSP) for their crops. They are protesting from so many days but their demands are not being heard.”