TN farmers won’t be affected by farm laws: EPS

Tamil Nadu farmers will not be affected because of the three farm laws, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami said after inspecting the rain affected area in Thiruvarur district.

Responding to the question on the ongoing protest by farmers, Palaniswami said the Opposition parties are against the farm laws only for political reasons and alleged that it was the DMK that had wanted to introduce a similar farm law and now the Central government has introduced the same law. 

The Chief Minister also said: “Punjab farmers were earlier paying 8.5% as commission and cess including the agent commission while selling their agricultural produce and now the Central government has stopped it through the farm laws.” He said the AIADMK government will continue to support any law if it benefits the farmers and oppose if it is against the interest of the farmers.

Taking a swipe at DMK MP A. Raja who challenged him for a debate over the 2G allegations levelled by him, he asked, “Is Raja a big leader for him to go debate with? He is not even equal to the local office bearer in AIADMK.”

Replying to the Chief Minister’s remark, Raja said that the CM talked about the 2G issue like an “illiterate” and it is their leader J. Jayalalithaa who was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment in a disproportionate assets case.