Kerala Assembly passes resolution against farm laws, wants them scrapped

PTI, Dec 31, 2020, 1:19 PM IST

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution demanding the scrapping of the three contentious central farm laws, against which farmers were agitating in Delhi, saying they were ‘anti-farmer’ and ‘pro-corporate.’

The resolution was passed in a special session convened in compliance with COVID-19 protocols to express solidarity with the agitating farmers.

The members of the CPI(M)-led LDF and Congress-headed UDF supported the resolution whole-heartedly.

Though the lone BJP member in the state assembly, O Rajagopal raised objections against some references in the resolution, he did not object to it.

“There is a general consensus in the House. So, I did not object to the resolution. This is the democratic spirit,” he told the reporters outside the House.

Moving the resolution, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan alleged the central farm laws have been amended to help the corporates.

“The three contentious agriculture laws were passed even without sending them to the standing committee of the Parliament. If this agitation continues, it will severely affect Kerala, which is a consumer state,” he said.

After the nearly two-hour-long discussion, Speaker P Sreeramakrishan put the resolution for voice vote and said it has been passed.

“Passing of the resolution reflects the sentiments of the House towards the farmers’ cause,” the Speaker said.