Centre must roll back CAA and other laws disliked by people, Tamil Nadu CM Stalin says

CHENNAI: Welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement about repealing the three

farm laws

, DMK president and Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin on Friday urged the Union government to roll back the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and other statutes that were disliked by the people. It also should decide on scrapping the three laws on the day one of the upcoming Parliament session, he said.

In an official statement from party headquarters, Stalin said the DMK had opposed the contentious farm laws at the preliminary stage itself, raised opposition in Parliament and voted against the Bills, besides filing a case in the Supreme Court. The party held agitations in the state with the support of alliance partners and took part in the protests of farmers.

“I wholeheartedly welcome the Prime Minister’s announcement in the morning. It is a massive victory to the farmers and the democratic forces protesting the laws during the last one year,” the DMK leader said.

Recalling his party’s demand that the then AIADMK government pass a resolution against the laws in the assembly which the latter did not give in, Stalin alleged that the AIADMK had held a campaign in support of these laws and former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had even argued that there was no wrong in the laws.

“The AIADMK displayed its slavish allegiance by supporting the bills,” the DMK chief said.

The farmers expected a minimum support price but nowhere was it found mention in the laws. “When the party came to power, I myself as chief minister moved the resolution in the assembly in August,” Stalin said.

Stating that more than 700 farmers had died in agitation and yet farmers remained steadfast in continuing the protests, the DMK chief said the Union government had taken the decision knowing that protests would pick up pace and keeping in mind the upcoming assembly elections in a few states. The

Centre

should hold talks with the farmers, withdraw all the cases and extend aid for the loss of lives, he said.