Kejriwal accuses Punjab CM of speaking 'BJP's language' on farm laws, alleges ED pressure

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on his Punjab counterpart Capt. Amarinder Singh for making allegations pertaining to the farm laws. Responding to Singh's charge that the Delhi government had notified the agrarian laws in the national capital, Kejriwal contended that none of the state governments had any choice in the matter. In a video message, the AAP supremo accused the senior Congress leader of speaking the language of BJP and attributing this to the ED cases against his family.

He was referring to the recent summons issued by the agency to Raninder Singh, the son of the Punjab CM. Moreover, the Delhi CM alleged that Singh was a part of the committee which drafted the laws. Maintaining that all parties should keep politics aside at this juncture, he called upon the Centre to accept all the demands of the farmers. 

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal remarked, "Yesterday, Punjab CM made allegations against me that I have passed these black laws in Delhi. How can Captain Sahab indulge in such low-level politics in such a delicate situation? All three are the Central laws. These laws became applicable to the entire country on the day on which the President signed these laws. A state government does not have a choice whether to implement it or not. If it was the prerogative of the state governments, then why did farmers from all over the country come to Delhi to meet the Centre?"

He added, "Are you being friends with BJP or is there any pressure? Because there are ED cases against your family and ED notices are being sent. Captain Sahab had many occasions to stop the bills. Why didn't Captain Sahab stop the bills back then? In 2019, the Centre had created a committee to draft the three black laws. Captain Sahab was in the committee. Why didn't you oppose these black laws during the deliberations in the committee?"

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What are the agrarian laws? 

The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 aims at freeing the farmers from the constraints of the state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby they would be able to sell their produce anywhere. Meanwhile, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to engage with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services. This entails the provision of contract farming. On the other hand, The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 specifies that the supply of foodstuffs including cereals, pulses, potato, edible oilseeds, and oils shall be regulated only under exceptional circumstances. The protesting farmers have raised concerns about the future of the APMC and MSP. 

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