Left parties ask Centre to be reasonable and repeal farm laws

Five Left parties -- CPI(M), CPI, CPI(ML), Forward Bloc and RSP -- on Sunday asked the Centre to "be reasonable" and repeal the three contentious farm laws as demanded by protesting farmers, saying its proposal to suspend the legislations would not work.

In a joint statement, the parties said the government "must stop being obstinate" and immediately inform the farmers that these laws will be repealed in the Budget Session of Parliament starting on Friday.

"Already the government has conveyed its willingness to suspend these laws for eighteen months. Acts that are legislated by Parliament, signed by the President of India and notified by the Gazette are law of the land. They cannot be suspended. Unless they are repealed, they are enforceable," it said.

"Hence, the government must be reasonable, repeal these laws, hold discussions regarding agrarian reforms with the farmers and other stakeholders including state governments and then bring proposals before Parliament, if any, for their consideration and due deliberations," the parties said.

After deliberations at several levels, the protesting farmer unions had rejected the government proposal of suspending the laws.

The statement was signed by CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and his counterparts D Raja (CPI), Dipankar Bhattacharya (CPI-ML), Debabrata Biswas (Forward Bloc) and Manoj Bhattacharya (RSP).

The Left parties hailed the "determination, unity and grit" being displayed by the farmers who are protesting on the borders of Delhi, in the "severe cold wave and lakhs more who are protesting in solidarity all across the country in a peaceful manner".

"Over a hundred farmers have been martyred in this struggle so far. The protest movements are gaining in strength, day by day. We hail their patriotic resolve to hold a ‘tractor parade’ on Republic Day, in defence of our secular, democratic Constitution and the repeal of these laws. The Left parties reiterate their support and solidarity to this historic struggle of our annadatas," the statement added.