Delhi CM Kejriwal tears copies of farm laws in Assembly, appeals Modi govt not to become worst than Britishers

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday tore up copies of the Centre's three new agriculture-related laws in the legislative assembly, saying he cannot betray the country's farmers.

Addressing the Delhi Assembly, the chief minister also alleged that the laws have been made for electoral funding of the BJP and not the farmers.

"I want to ask Centre how many sacrifices farmers will have to make, to get their voices heard," he said.

I am pained that I have to do this. I did not intend to, but I cannot betray the farmers of my country who have been sleeping on the streets in the cold when the temperature is just 2 degrees Celsius, Kejriwal added.

“What was the hurry to get Farm Laws passed in Parliament during pandemic? It has happened for 1st time that 3 laws were passed without voting in Rajya Sabha...I hereby tear 3 Farm laws in this assembly and appeal Centre not to become worst than Britishers”, the chief minister said while tearing copies of the three laws.

“Every farmer has become Bhagat Singh. Govt is saying that they are reaching out to farmers and trying to explain the benefits of Farm Bills. UP CM told farmers that they'll benefit from these bills as their land won't be taken away. Is it a benefit?" News agency ANI quoted Delhi CM as saying.

I am a citizen of this country first, a chief minister later. This assembly rejects the three laws and appeals to the central government to meet the demands of farmers, he said.

Kejriwal further said 20 protesting farmers have died so far and asked the Centre when it will "wake up".

He said the Centre should not be under the impression that the farmers will simply return to their homes. In 1907, a farmers' protest had continued for nine months till the British rulers repealed some laws, he said.

With PTI inputs