'New laws hurt farmers': Governor reads Kerala's resolution against Centres' agri policies in assembly

The Kerala government's policy read out by Governor Arif Mohammed Khan was also critical of Centre for compromising federalism in the country.
CM Pinarayi Vijayan greets Governor Arif Mohammed Khan before his policy address in Kerala Assembly.
CM Pinarayi Vijayan greets Governor Arif Mohammed Khan before his policy address in Kerala Assembly.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The new farm laws hurt the farmers and the state, said Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Friday while reading out Kerala government's opposition to the three agriculture laws passed by the Centre.

Arif Mohammed Khan, while reading out the policy address, said "the farmers will lose bargaining powers and income loss at the cost of corporate with the amendment of Essential Commodities Act. It will also impact a consumer state such as Kerala."

While supporting the farmers' protesting against the three new agri laws, the governor in his address asked the Centre to address the policy lacuna that affected the commercial crop farming in Kerala.

The state legislative assembly on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution to reject the farm laws enacted by the Centre. Both LDF and UDF were at loggerheads with the Governor for his decision to turn down the state government's request to convene a special session on August 23. 

The issue was resolved after he later gave the nod later.

The Kerala government's policy read out by Governor Arif Mohammed Khan was also critical of Centre for compromising federalism in the country. While asking the Central government to respect the federal system in the country the state policy freedom for states and local bodies to function effectively in their respective space.

The Life Mission project, which is a flagship housing programme of the LDF government found an indirect mention in the address as it accused the central agencies of impeding major projects and demoralising honest officers involved in it, in violation of the Cooperative federalism. 

​The reference was into the enquiries conducted by Enforcement Directorate probe into the suspected bribery in Life Mission project in Vadakancherry, enquiries into K-FON optical network project etc.

The opposition UDF boycotted the policy address ten minutes into the Governor's address as a mark of protest againt the Kerala government and Governor.

His speech was interrupted by constant sloganeering from the opposition prompting the Governor to pause twice.

“You have raised made enough slogans. Please let me do my constitutional duty. Do not interrupt me,” the Governor told the UDF MLAs. The Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala rose from the seat and spoke against the government, terming it as the most corrupt.

The address began with the impact of Covid-19 on the social and economic situation of the state. The economic impact is estimated at Rs 80,000 crore deficit in state GDP. It gave detailed account of the pandemic fight by the state government.

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