Opposition parties demand repeal of all three farm laws

New Delhi: As the chorus for repealing of all three farm laws gets shriller, the Opposition parties at the all-party meeting demanded an extensive debate on the farmers' agitation and repeal of all three farm laws.

While reiterating their demand, leaders of Congress, TMC, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shiv Sena and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) sought the government's assurance that it would discuss all contentious issues related to the new farm. However, as per sources, the Opposition leaders also reportedly asked the government not to brand them as anti-nationals.

According to sources, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the party has already warned the government about the agitation, but the government didn't act on it and now the government has to deal with the consequences. The Congress leader also talked about the police accesses on the protesting farmers by saying that farmers are being beaten up for protesting against the three farm laws.

Present in the meeting, AAP leader Bhagwant Mann hailed the PM for allowing everyone to speak on related issues. In the meeting, the AAP leader reportedly told the PM that a few anti-social elements entered the farmers' agitation and created chaos, while the farmers protested in accordance to the suggested route-plan by police authorities and went back to their respective places. While stressing repealing of farm laws, the AAP leader said that FIRs are being registered against the actual farmers.

Notably, most of the opposition leaders stressed that the government should discuss the farm laws again in both houses of the Parliament and also seek to address the misgivings of the agitating farmers. However, at the all-party meet, JDU president RCP Singh supported the farm laws and advocated that all three farm laws are in the interest of farmers and these farm laws would help in doubling farmers' income.

Notably, thousands of farmers have been protesting at Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh demanding the rollback of the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.