Kerala Assembly passes unanimous resolution against central farm laws
Thiruvananthapuram: Expressing solidarity with the agitating farmers in Delhi, the Kerala Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution demanding the immediate withdrawal of the three contentious central laws, saying they were "anti-farmer" and "pro-corporate" and would push the farming community into a deep crisis.
In a rare gesture, not only the legislators of the ruling CPI(M)-headed LDF and Congress-led UDF, but the lone BJP member in the 140-member state Assembly, O Rajagopal, also supported the resolution against the Centre, saying "it is the democratic spirit."
However, Rajagopal opposed some of the references in the resolution, which was presented in a nearly two-hour-long special session convened in compliance with COVID-19 protocols.
Moving the resolution, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan alleged that the central laws have been amended to help the corporates.
The Centre had presented and passed the three agriculture laws in Parliament at a time when the agriculture sector was facing a severe crisis, he said.
"The three contentious agri laws were passed even without sending them to the standing committee of Parliament. If this agitation continues, it will severely affect Kerala, which is a consumer state," he said.
Stating that the reforms in the field of agriculture should be implemented as carefully envisioned, he said with the implementation of the laws, the bargaining power of farmers would be weakened, giving an advantage to the corporate sector.
The laws did not have any provision to ensure legal protection for farmers, Vijayan said adding that they do not have the capacity to wage a legal battle with the corporates for this.
It was clear that the major cause of the agitation was the possible price drop for agriculture products due to these laws, he added.
As agriculture is the state subject and it is an issue which directly affects the states, the Union Government should have convened the meetings of the inter-state committees and held detailed consultations, he said.
"So, the Kerala Assembly requests the Centre to accept the justifiabledemands raised by farmers, who are the backbone of the country, and take immediate steps to withdraw the three controversial farm laws," the Chief Minister added.
The session was heldafter Governor Arif Mohammed Khan had in an unprecedented action earlier turned down the plea of the LDF government to convene a special session on December 23 to discuss the contentious laws saying Chief Minister Vijayan had not addressed the question raised by him on the nature of emergency warranting the very brief session.
Law Minister A K Balan and Agricultural Minister V S Sunil Kumar, had met Khan on Friday last after the state government decided afresh to convene a one day session on December 31 to discuss and pass a resolution against the farm laws.
Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, who is in quarantine after recovering from COVID-19, was not present in the House. In his reply,senior congress leader K C Joseph (Congress) attacked the Governor for not convening the house on December 23.
Joseph said though the Governor's act was a challenge to democracyas a recommendation of a majority government had not been accepted, "what surprised us was the cold response of the government to the Governor's action".
Two ministers were then sent with Christmas cake to the Raj Bhavan and they pleaded before the Governor to convene the session, he charged.
Joseph said the controversial laws were passed by the Centre 100 days ago and some state governments,including Punjab, had already passed a resolution against it and broughtin a legislation.
The state government should have brought in a legislation and passed a resolution, he said adding the three laws were unconstitutional and against the federal structure as states were not consulted.
Raising objections, the BJP legislator, Rajagopal said those who oppose the central laws were the ones who oppose farmers.
"The Congress had mentioned this law in their election manifesto before. The new law is meant to double the income of farmers," he said during the discussion.
However, he did not object to it when the Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan put the resolution for voice vote.
"The resolution was passed unanimously. I have told my views... with regard to some matters (in the resolution) there was a difference of opinion, which I had pointed to in the House. I fully support the resolution," Rajagopal told mediapersons after the session.
When pointed again that the resolution was for scrapping the three central farm laws, Rajagopal said he supported it (resolution).
"I supported the resolution and the central government should withdraw the three farm laws," the senior BJP leader said, adding he agreed with the general consensus in the House.
Though the UDF demanded an amendment to the resolution strongly criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was allegedly not ready to hold talks with the agitating farmers, the House rejected it.
Replying to the opposition charges, the Chief Minister said there was enough reference in the resolution against the union government, which was against the Prime Minister also.
Vijayan also said the state was exploring possibilities to bring legislation to overcome the central farm laws.
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Bibhav Kumar attacked me with full force again and again: AAP MP Maliwal in FIR
New Delhi (PTI): AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal was "kicked and slapped seven to eight times" allegedly by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar at the former's official residence, and "did not relent" despite her asking him to stop, according to the FIR registered by the Delhi Police.
In the FIR regarding the alleged assault on her, Maliwal also claimed that Kumar hit her with "full force again and again" but no one came to her rescue. She also alleged that despite telling Kumar that she was menstruating and in pain, he did not budge.
The FIR quotes Maliwal as saying that this "is one of the most difficult times of my life" and "the pain, trauma and harassment has been mind-numbing".
"... I am also having difficulty in walking," she said in the FIR, a copy of which is with PTI.
Maliwal, who earlier served as the chief of Delhi Commission For Women, said her situation is "exacerbated by the fact that having worked all my life for women issues and having helped lakhs of women get justice", she "ended up being brutally beaten by a person whom I know for long".
"I am deeply disturbed by this incident and am distraught that someone could display such 'goonda' behaviour," read the FIR.
She has called for the strongest possible action in the matter.
The details of the alleged assault on Maliwal, which took place at Kejriwal's official residence on Monday, emerged on Friday as the Rajya Sabha MP appeared before a magistrate at the Tis Hazari court to record her statement in the case.
The Delhi Police on Thursday registered an FIR in the matter and named Kumar as an accused in the case, officials said.
A purported video of Delhi Chief Minister's residence showing Maliwal arguing with the security staff at the time of the alleged assault, went viral on social media on Friday.
According to the FIR, she had gone to meet Kejriwal at his official residence at 9 am on Monday. Recalling the events, she told police that she went inside the camp office and called Kumar but could not get through. She went towards the residential area and asked the staff to inform Kejriwal about her arrival.
"I was informed that he was present in the house and I was told to wait in the drawing room," she said.
She said while she was waiting for Kejriwal, Kumar barged into the room and started "screaming at me without any provocation and even started abusing me".
"Tu kaise hamari baat nahi manegi? Kaise nahi manegi? S**i teri aukat kya hai ki humko na kar de. Samajhti kya hai khud ko n**h aurat? Tujhe to hum sabak sikhayenge (How will you not follow what we are saying? How will you not follow? How dare you say no to us? What to do you think of yourself **** woman? We will teach you a lesson," read the FIR.
In the FIR, she said that "without any provocation" from her end, Kumar started "slapping" her with his "full force".
"He slapped me seven-eight times at least while I continued screaming. I felt absolutely shocked and was screaming for help over and over again. In order to protect (myself), pushed him away with my legs," she said.
"At that time, he pounced on me, brutally dragged me and deliberately pulled my shirt up. My shirt buttons opened and the shirt came up. I landed on the floor while hitting my head on the centre table. I was constantly screaming for help but no one came," she further said.
She alleged that Kumar "did not relent and attacked me by kicking me in my chest, stomach" and lower part of the body "with his legs".
"I was in extreme pain and kept telling him to stop. My shirt was coming up but he still continued to assault me. I repeatedly told him that I am having my periods and that he should please let go of me as I am in unbearable pain," she said in the FIR.
Following the incident, she said she "was in a terrible state of shock at this unprovoked attack". Recalling the time, she said she was "deeply traumatised" and called the emergency number 112 to inform about the incident.
Bibhav threatened me and said, "Kar le jo tujhe karna hai, tu hamara kuch nahi bigaad sakti, teri haddi pasli tudwa denge aur aise jagah gadenge kisi ko pata bhi nahi chalega. (You can do whatever you want, you cannot harm us. We will break your bones and bury you at a place where no one would even get to know)".
She said that Kumar left the room after learning that she had called the police helpline but returned with the security personnel working at the main gate of the CM's camp offices.
In the FIR, she said they asked her to leave "at the behest of Kumar". She said that she kept telling them that she was "brutally beaten up" and asked them to wait until the PCR van comes.
She said she got into an autorickshaw with the help of the PCR staff.
"I reached there (Civil Lines police station) and sat in the SHO room, where I was crying and informed the SHO about the incident," she said.
"I was in terrible pain and having severe cramps. I also started receiving a lot of calls from media on my mobile. Due to the trauma, pain and not wanting to politicise the incident, I left the police station without filing a written complaint," she said, adding her head was splitting in pain and her arms and legs were "aching terribly due to the assault".
Maliwal said the past days since the incident have been "extremely painful for her".
