Stalin says all cases against farmers for protesting farm laws will be withdrawn

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday in State Assembly declared that all cases filed against the farmers who staged protests against the three farmer-related legislations of the Union Government, during the past year, will be withdrawn, reports ANI

He was speaking in Tamil Nadu Assembly on Saturday while moving resolution urging the Union government to withdraw three contentious farm laws through a voice vote, against which farmers have been holding protests outside Delhi for months.

As soon as the house convened on Saturday, Stalin piloted the resolution, calling for its withdrawal and sought it to be adopted unanimously.

Saying that the farmers have been protesting against the three farm laws since August 2020, the Chief Minister added that the resolution was in line with his party's electoral promise ahead of the April 6 assembly polls.

According to Stalin, the three laws are beneficial for the corporates and not for the farmers and added that the laws are silent on the minimum support price (MSP) for the farmers for their produce. He also said the government had presented a separate Budget for agriculture this year.

Tamil Nadu's Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare M.R.K. Panneerselvam while presenting the state's first Budget for agriculture recently had said it was dedicated to the farmers protesting in Delhi against the three farms laws.

The majority of the parties in Tamil Nadu-barring AIADMK and the BJP - were opposed to the three farm laws introduced by the Union government.

While in the opposition, Stalin had urged the former Chief Minister K. Palaniswami to convene a special session of the state Assembly to pass a resolution for revoking the three farm laws.

Palaniswami was a vocal supporter of the three farm laws saying that they are beneficial for the farmers. The main opposition AIADMK and its ally BJP staged a walkout over the resolution on Saturday.

Deputy Leader of AIADMK legislature, O Panneerselvam said while the CM has listed the disadvantages of the farm laws, its advantages also need to be ascertained. He sought to know whether the state government has written to the Centre over the matter and if it has received a reply.

Leader of the House Duraimurugan said the legislation was enacted when the AIADMK was in power in the state even as Stalin wanted to know whether the main opposition party supported today's resolution or not.

Replying, Panneerselvam said petitions against the farm laws were pending before the Supreme Court and therefore no decision can be taken and also assured his party's support for the welfare of farmers.

The chief minister said some other states had also moved Assembly resolutions against farm laws earlier though the previous AIADMK government did not do so. Subsequently, the AIADMK walked out.

Earlier, AIADMK's KP Anbalagan said the resolution has been tabled in a "hasty manner" and wanted an evaluation of its pros and cons by holding discussions with relevant stakeholders.

Opposing the resolution, the BJP members also walked out of the House.