CPI-M urges President to send back agriculture bills

New Delhi [India], Sept 22 : The CPI-M on Monday accused the BJP-led government of "bulldozing legislations through the parliament violating all parliamentary procedures" and said it should withdraw agriculture bills in the interest of farmers and people's entitlements to food security.
In a statement, the party politburo said that the ruling BJP-led NDA did not have a majority in the Rajya Sabha to pass the agriculture legislations with all the opposition parties "arraigned against these legislations".
Terming the passage of bills as "illegitimate and illegal", the party said President Ram Nath Kovind should send back these legislations to the Rajya Sabha for reconsideration under Article 111 of the constitution.
"The CPI-M strongly condemns the manner in which this BJP government is bulldozing legislations through the parliament violating all parliamentary procedures and denying MPs the right to discuss and seriously consider legislations that are being brought which have disastrous consequences both for the country and the people," the statement said.
The party accused the government of "misusing the serious concerns regarding the spread of the COVID pandemic" and said "even this constricted parliament session has been curtailed and the government is keen to bulldoze all the 11 ordinances it has issued during the lockdown period ".
The party said "bulldozing of the ordinances concerning Indian agriculture as legislations was done denying the MPs the opportunity to discuss" and claimed that a division was refused through a vote on these Bills in the Rajya Sabha.
"This is unprecedented and tantamount to murder of democracy. Every Member of Parliament has inalienable right to ask for a division of vote on any matter that comes before the parliament for approval. This right was trampled with utter contempt. In a highly condemnable manner eight RS MPs, who sought a division of vote, have been suspended," the party said.
"It is clear that the BJP/NDA did not have a majority in the Rajya Sabha with all the opposition parties arraigned against these legislations. These new laws are therefore illegitimate, illegal and the President of India must send back these legislations to the Rajya Sabha for reconsideration under Article 111 of the Constitution, it added.
The CPI-M alleged that the new laws handover India's agriculture, "our produce and our markets to foreign and domestic agribusiness corporations".
The party claimed Minimum Support Price (MSP) will be abolished.
"This immensely benefits foreign and domestic corporates to reap super-profits, imposing misery both on the farmers and the people. The Minimum Support Price is bound to be abolished. Though very shoddily implemented, the MSP, nevertheless provided some security of income to the farmers," the party said.
The party alleged that amendments to Essential Commodities Act will lead to "scope for large scale hoarding creating artificial food scarcity and price rise"
"The proposals for `land pooling' and legalising the contract system with benefits to agribusinesses will completely destroy traditional farming. India's food security is at stake," the party said.
Noting that agriculture is a state subject under the constitution, the CPI-M said the legislations "bypass the elected state governments and are a further serious undermining of federalism".
The party extended its support to the call of farmer organisations for a countrywide massive protest action on September 25.