Repeal farm laws or PM Modi and home minister should quit: Bengal CM

KOLKATA: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said either the controversial farm laws should be repealed or the prime minister and the home minister should resign.
Banerjee also accused BJP of trying to discredit farmers by dubbing them anti-nationals, saying if anyone was to blame, it was the Centre.
The West Bengal assembly on Thursday passed a resolution demanding a repeal of the farm laws.Left and Congress did not oppose the Trinamool Congress-sponsored resolution, but BJP questioned whether an assembly could oppose a law enacted in Parliament.
The CM also demanded an all-party meeting on the farm laws.
Later, speaking at a programme in Trinamool Bhawan, she said: “When everyone was scared to speak, I said this was done to discredit the protesting farmers. If it’s anyone’s failure, it is their intelligence failure. They are the ones who had given permission (for the rally).”
“I am told the person who put up the flag on Red Fort was photographed along with the prime minister and home minister,” she added. “BJP had planned this to discredit farmers. Now they are being dubbed anti-nationals. Wrong allegations are being levelled against the farmers.”
“They say this will have no impact in Bengal, it will have no impact in UP. They are wrong. I have seen several governments but have never seen this audacity,” Banerjee further said.
In the assembly, the CM said: “If they have any goodwill for the greater interest of people, I shall ask the prime minister to withdraw these three bills on their own. There can only be the option — either repeal these three laws or step down from the government.”
She added: “You have brought the bills when people couldn’t even go to Parliament due to Covid. You have passed the bill through ordinance and you didn’t even allow a division.”
Earlier, Bengal parliamentary affairs minister Partha Chatterjee moved a resolution under Rule 169, urging the Centre to repeal the three laws. Left and Congress legislators suggested amendments to the resolution.
The CM said she wanted an all-party meeting on the anti-farmer laws. “People of the country will stand against branding farmers as traitors or Khalistanis. During Covid, you had conducted many virtual meetings. Call for a virtual meeting again for the greater interest of people”.
While the CM was speaking in the House, BJP MLAs descended into the well while raising slogans. Later, they staged a walkout.
Speaking to journalists, the BJP MLAs said the laws passed by Parliament could not be challenged in the assembly.