Punjab Government on Wednesday decided to convene a special session of the Vidhan Sabha on October 19 to bring in a legislation to counter “dangerous” “anti-farmer” farm laws of the Central Government. The decision was taken at the State Cabinet meeting held through a video conferencing.
Earlier, the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had announced that his Government will fight the anti-federal and vicious farm laws tooth and nail through legislative, legal and other routes.
A few days ago, the Chief Minister had stated that he would call a special session of the assembly to bring in necessary amendments to state laws to negate the dangerous impact of the central legislations, which are designed to ruin the farmers as well as the state's agriculture and economy.
With the Cabinet decision, the Punjab Governor has been authorized to convene the 13th (special) session of 15th Punjab Vidhan Sabha, as per clause (1) of Article 174 of the Constitution of India.
In the previous assembly session on August 28, a resolution was passed by a majority to reject three contentious farm ordinances — The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020; The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020; and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 besides the proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2020, promulgated by the Union Government — which later took the shape of the laws.
The opposition parties and protesting farmers have also been demanding from the Congress-led State Government to convene a special session of the assembly to negate the new farm laws. Farmers had even given an ultimatum till October 15 to the Punjab Government to convene a special session of the assembly. They have been demanding that the three laws passed by Parliament recently be repealed.
Farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws will pave a way for the dismantling of the minimum support price system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporates.