Even O Rajagopal, the only dissenter, also did not vote against the resolution against Farm Laws
Kerala State Legislative Assembly passed a resolution against the three agricultural bills that were passed by the central government in September. Enacting upon the fear of people of the state, the State Assembly unanimously passed the resolution scrapping all three contentious agricultural laws.
Mr Vijayan said in the House,” There should be a system where agricultural products are procured by the Central government and distributed to the needy at fair prices. Instead, it has allowed corporate to take over the trade in agricultural products. The Centre is shirking its responsibility of providing fair prices to farmers.” “If these protests continue, it will affect Kerala badly. If agriculture produce stops coming to a consumer state like Kerala, the state will be pushed towards hunger,” he said.
These laws led to protests in different parts of the country especially Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Referring to the protests as “historic”, Mr Vijayan said that Kerala Legislative Assembly is requesting the Central government to repeal the three farm laws and accept the demands of the farmers.
Interestingly, India’s Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), is not followed in Kerala. Instead, the state has a system that involves horticorp outlets and vegetable and fruit promotion councils. However, the resolution was passed unanimously and even the only member of BJP, O Rajagopal, too voted in favour of the resolution without objecting it.
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