Centre preparing to implement revoked farm laws through backdoor: AAP chief Kejriwal

Arvind Kejriwal accuses BJP of backdoor implementation of farm laws, warns of consequences for protesting farmers in Punjab.

AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday (January 2, 2024) said the BJP would be responsible "if something happens" to the protesting farmers in Punjab who are on an indefinite fast over a set of demands, including a legal guarantee on MSP.

Mr. Kejriwal, in a post on X, also claimed that the Centre is preparing to implement the now-revoked three farm laws "through the backdoor" by calling it a "policy". He said copies of the new "policy" have been sent to all states for their views on it.

Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has been on an indefinite fast for over a month and has refused medical aid.

The AAP-led Punjab government has termed the newly announced draft policy on ‘National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing’ as an attempt to backdoor entry to the three central agri laws passed in 2020. After a yearlong protest by farmers, the Centre repealed the laws.

Mr. Kejriwal posted on X that while the farmers were on a fast unto death in Punjab, the BJP, due to its arrogance, was not talking to them. The AAP supremo charged that the BJP-led Centre accepted farmers' demands three years ago but is now reneged on it.

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"Why do the BJP have such arrogance that it does not even talk to anyone," Mr. Kejriwal asked.