Delhi Assembly Adopts Resolution For Price Guarantee Law, Minister's Removal

The Delhi Assembly on Friday adopted a resolution for providing compensation to the farmers who lost their lives during the protest against the three farm laws, removal of cases against them and removal of Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni.

The resolution was passed during the one-day special session of the assembly.

Delhi Minister Gopal Rai moved the resolution which said that the families of the farmers who lost their lives during the farmers' agitation should be given proper compensation and cases against the farmers who have been supporting the cause should be taken back.

"There should be a statutory guarantee of minimum support price. In the Lakhimpur Kheri case, the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra should be removed," Mr Rai said.

The Centre has decided to repeal the three farm laws passed by parliament last year. The farmers have been protesting on the borders of Delhi against the three laws.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia and several members of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) took part in the discussion.

The start of the special one-day session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly began with an uproar. As soon as the house began, the opposition members demanded a discussion on pollution and the new excise policy, but the Speaker did not allow it.

In the midst of the uproar, BJP MLA Jitendra Mahajan tossed a paper towards the chair. Minister Kailash Gehlot objected to this and proposed his suspension from the House.

The Speaker later suspended the BJP member for the remaining part of the session. After this, all the eight BJP MLAs sat under the Gandhi statue located in the assembly complex in support of Mr Mahajan and in protest against the Speaker's action.

Mr Sisodia lauded the protest by farmer unions against the three farm laws. "This is the first movement after Gandhi ji's movement in the history of the country which will be remembered as a peaceful and successful movement. Also, it is a new chapter in the history of democracy and it should be taught to generations to come," he said.

Mr Sisodia alleged that the Centre had not paid tributes to farmers who had died in the course of the protest.

In his speech, Mr Kejriwal said it was the "biggest movement". "In 1907, there was a similar movement which lasted for nine months, but this movement lasted for 12 months. The government left no stone unturned to instigate the farmers. They were crushed by vehicles in Lakhimpur. But the farmers did not give up," he said.

The Chief Minister said 700 farmers died during the movement. "I bow to them all," said Mr Kejriwal.

Referring to the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, he also sought the removal of Ajay Mishra.

"I do not know what is the compulsion that the Union Minister of State for Home is not being removed from his post. He should be removed. Compensation should be given to the families of farmers who lost their lives in the movement. The cases registered against them should be withdrawn. We will stand with the farmers. I support the resolution moved by Gopal Rai."

AAP MLAs Jarnail Singh, Virender Kadyan, Vijay Mishra, Rakhi Birla, Mohinder Goyal, Atishi, Saurabh Bhardwaj, Vandana Kumari, Somnath Bharti and Dilip Pandey were among those who took part in the debate on the resolution.