“Don’t Become Worse Than British”: Arvind Kejriwal Tears Farm Laws Copies

The AAP has been a vocal supporter of the farmers, and even provided basic infrastructure – drinking water, medical care and sanitation to those camped around Delhi

New Delhi:  Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tore up copies of the farm bills during a special Assembly session on Thursday, and urged the centre “not to become worse than Britishers”. Mr Kejriwal also asked the centre “what was the hurry to get the farm laws passed during pandemic”.

“I hereby tear (up the) three farm laws in this Assembly and appeal to the centre not to become wors(e) than (the) Britishers. What was the hurry to get farm laws passed in parliament during (the coronavirus) pandemic?” Mr Kejriwal asked during a session called to discuss the farmers’ protest.

“Every farmer has become Bhagat Singh… government is saying they are reaching out to farmers and trying to explain benefits of the farm bills… The UP Chief Minister told farmers they will benefit as their land won’t be taken away. Is that a benefit?” the Chief Minister added.

The AAP has been a vocal supporter of the farmers, and even provided basic infrastructure – drinking water, medical care and sanitation – to thousands who fought past tear gassing and lathi charges, and are now braving the cold, to camp on Delhi borders for nearly three weeks now.

Last week Mr Kejriwal visited farmers at Singhu (on the Delhi-Haryana border) and said: “We support all the demands of the farmers.” He also said the bills “decriminalise profiteering and hoarding” and hit out at critics who allege involvement of separatist elements.

AAP MLAs @attorneybharti and @MohinderAAP tears copy of 3 Farm Bills.

"We refuse to accept these black laws which are against farmers." pic.twitter.com/7s4puJNZPA

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) December 17, 2020

“Some BJP leaders are saying farmers are anti-national. Many ex-servicemen… singers, celebrities, doctors, traders are supporting them… are all these also anti-nationals?” he asked Monday.

Mr Kejriwal also took on the centre on reports that over 20 protesters, including the 65-year-old priest of a Haryana gurudwara – have died since the agitation began nearly three weeks ago.

“…how many sacrifices farmers will have to make to get their voices heard,” he asked.

20 से ज्यादा किसान इस आंदोलन में शहीद हो चुके हैं। रोज एक किसान शहीद हो रहा हैं।

मैं केंद्र सरकार से पूछना चाहता और कितनी शहादत और कितनी जान आप लोगे? : मुख्यमंत्री @ArvindKejriwal #KejriwalAgainstFarmBills pic.twitter.com/UDnlcvchnb

— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) December 17, 2020

Earlier MLAs from Mr Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party – Mahendra Goyal and Somnath Bharti – also tore up copies as bills to counter those passed by the centre in September were tabled

“We refuse to accept these black laws, which are against farmers,” Mr Goyal, Mr Bharti and Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot, who tabled the bills, said.

Delhi is set to become the third state (after Congress-ruled Punjab and Rajasthan) to pass legislation designed to counter the centre’s laws.

This morning the Supreme Court, while hearing a clutch of petitions on the issue, said that while protests may continue they could not be allowed to block access to the national capital.

The thousands of farmers camped around Delhi have also occupied highways over the past three weeks. They have, however, made it a point never to stop emergency services, such as ambulances.

Multiple rounds of talks between the farmers and the centre have, so far, failed to resolve the stand-off; neither side is willing to back down – the farmers wants the laws to be scrapped and the centre says it will only amend the more problematic sections.