TN CM's stance on agri-related bills is AIADMK s stand: Minister

Senior AIADMK leader and Tamil Nadu Fisheries minister D Jayakumar on Monday said the party's stand on the Centre's farm sector-related bills is that of Chief Minister K Palaniswami, who has already explained it. Palaniswami's decision was final on the issue, he said, adding that the party's Rajya Sabha MP S R Balasubramaniam's remarks against the bills in the upper house was the Parliamentarian's view and did not reflect the party's stance.

"The Chief Minister has already clarified on the bills and what the CM said is indeed the stand of the government and also the party. This should be taken as final and not any individual's comments," Jayakumaar said when media persons drew his attention to Balasubramaniam criticising the Centre over its 'urgency' on the matter.

Balasubramaniam had also reportedly claimed his party colleague O P Ravindranath, who welcomed the bills in the Lok Sabha, was a novice and hardly knew much about the subject.Jayakumar asserted that the government and his party could not adopt a dual stand.

"The AIADMK backed the bills only after receiving a promise that it would not affect the farmers. The chief minister has made it clear in his statement and only this should be taken as the party's opinion," he said.

Defending the three farm bills--Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill 2020, The Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020, Palaniswami had said these legislations would benefit the farmers of Tamil Nadu.He had said the new bills would in no way affect the paddy procurement based on Minimum Support Price and the new laws would rather facilitate MSP for farmers, aid the farmers market scheme and prevent hoarding of farm produce by firms.On Saturday, he had said the bills adopted by the Lok Sabha will do good to the farmers in Tamil Nadu by ensuring them an assured income avoiding adverse impacts from unexpected price fall.

"As a farmer, since I have realised it, I did not oppose it," he had asserted, adding that the farm scenario in states like Punjab does not match with that of Tamil Nadu.

Asked how the legislations would benefit farmers, Jayakumar replied, farmers livelihood will not be affected. In fact, their income is being guaranteed,he added.

(Image Credits:Twitter/CMOTamilNadu)