Siddaramaiah asks BJP govt to repeal two agri laws

Bengaluru: Calling on the ruling BJP in Karnataka to take a cue from the Narendra Modi government, which repealed the farm laws, former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday demanded that the state immediately repeal the APMC (Amendment) Act and the Karnataka Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, introduced last year.

"The state government was also party to the three black laws thrust upon the farmers by the Narendra Modi government, which has now repealed the three laws and washed away its sins. Now it is the turn of the BJP government in the state," he told reporters.

The two laws were introduced last year by the BJP government amid protest by the opposition Congress.

Siddaramaiah, the Leader of the Opposition, alleged that the intention behind introducing the APMC Amendment Act was to open the doors for private players to directly approach growers by bypassing the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMC).

"If the APMC (Amendment) Act comes into effect, the state government will not have any control over the traders and it cannot monitor their activities. It cannot collect duty, fees and levy. It's like complete surrender," the Congress leader said.

According to him, only six per cent farmers are availing the benefit of APMC, while 94 per cent are not using it. He demanded that the state government set up APMCs in various places so that farmers can get the benefit out of it.

Siddaramaiah also charged that the Land Reforms (Amendment) Act was aimed at benefiting land grabbers.