Maharashtra govt seeks people's advice on amended farm acts

The Bharatiya Janata Party held a mock house outside the Vidhan Bhavan on Tuesday

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government tabled in the state legislature an amended draft bill of the Centre's farms acts on Tuesday, instead of repealing them as per the popular demand. But it gave the public and farm activists two months to send in their suggestions and objections, before the bill is taken up at the winter session of the state legislature.

In the house, senior ministers from the MVA said the government was in support of the farmers who are protesting at the Delhi borders.

Agriculture Minister Dada Bhuse said the amendments proposed will ensure the farmers' interest like minimum support price, though the Centre's Act does not have any such provision. He said the state acts provide for a three-year jail term for those who cheat farmers, and has stringent conditions for trading by making a government permit mandatory against the Centre's provision that anyone with a PAN card can purchase produce from farmers.

The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee and Samyukta Kisan Morcha, that are part of the ongoing farmers' agitation at the borders of Delhi, had urged states to repeal the acts instead of amending them.

"Making amendments to the draft of the central laws will not change the purpose behind the enactment of those laws nor will it change their anti-farmer and corporate character. Keeping in mind the expectations of farmers' organisations, the state government should not rush into enacting farm laws in the state on the lines of the Centre," the committee had said in a statement last week.

On Tuesday, the government responded partially. It did not rush into passing the acts, sought suggestions and objections and slammed the Centre, but as suggested by some ministers, did not pass a resolution condemning the Centre.

Demand for 3 cr vaccine doses per month

Then indirectly putting the onus on the Centre for Covid-19 vaccination, the state legislature passed a resolution, albeit in the absence of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which held a mock house outside, that it be sent 3 crore doses of vaccines per month, so that it can complete the programme in three months.

Health Minister Rajesh Tope said the state had the capacity of vaccinating 10 lakh per day and it has been at the top among all states. "Maharashtra has the highest number of Covid cases and deaths in the country. The second wave is not over yet and the third is being predicted. The only way to fight the infection is with a large scale and faster vaccination. We can create herd immunity by vaccinating the maximum population. We need more vaccines if there is a need to give jabs to children aged between 5 and 18. The Centre can help us," he said.

Patole alleges phone tapping

State Congress president and MLA Nana Patole alleged that his phone was tapped during the previous BJP regime. He said he was codenamed ‘Amjad Khan' by the tapping agency. Home minister Dilip Walse Patil assured a probe in the matter.

Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik also wanted the state to order a parallel probe in the charges the Enforcement Directorate is pursuing against him. "Please inquire and tell the people the truth. I haven't done any scam," he said. A fortnight ago, Sarnaik had written to the chief minister and his party boss that it would be good if the Sena patched up with the BJP which was troubling opponents using the Central agencies. Clarifying later, he told reporters that he wrote the letter because he felt alone in the MVA.

Opposition says

Opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis said the amendments made by the MVA were already accepted by the Centre for its acts. "Why did they delay the process and create a false impression of these acts? The Centre has been telling the state governments that there is no need of repealing the acts and it is ready to amend it. It is satisfying that the Maharashtra government has accepted the Centre's stance."