As Punjab Rejects Farms Laws, Chidambaram Says ‘One Country, One System’ will Wreck Federalism
Congress leader P Chidambaram.
In a series of tweets, he said the Narendra Modi-led Central government has adopted one model of agricultural produce marketing, and the Punjab government has adopted another model.
After the Punjab Assembly passed laws unanimously and formally rejecting the Centre’s agricultural laws, former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Wednesday advocated the existence of two models, including one accepted by states.
In a series of tweets, he said the Narendra Modi-led Central government has adopted one model of agricultural produce marketing, and the Punjab government has adopted another model.
“Why can’t there may be two models of marketing farm produce in a large country like India? Article 254 of the Constitution gives that right to every state,” he asked.
“In fact, in a federal system there is space for as many models as there are states. One Country One System will lead to mediocrity and wreck federalism
“Let the people of each stats decide which model they want. That is a decision that the people must make, not the Governor or the President,” he tweeted.
The Bills passed by the Punjab Assembly provide for imprisonment of not less than three years and a fine for sale or purchase of wheat or paddy under a farming agreement below the MSP, exemption of farmers from attachment of land up to 2.5 acres and prevention of hoarding and black-marketing of agricultural produce, among other things.
The three Bills, rejecting outright the Centre’s ‘anti-farmer’ laws, and the proposed Electricity Amendment Bill that led to widespread protests by farmers in the agrarian states of Punjab and Haryana, were passed with a voice vote amid the presence of the Shriomani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members.
