O Rajagopal first gave a speech in the assembly favouring the laws but did not vote against the resolution. He later stunned many with his response to reporters in “support” of the state resolution.
Kerala’s lone MLA from the BJP, who’s victory marked the debut of the saffron party in Kerala, today got into a controversy after with his contradicting remarks on a resolution against the centre’s contentious farm laws that was unanimously passed in the state assembly. O Rajagopal first gave a speech in the assembly favouring the laws but did not vote against the resolution.
He later stunned many with his response to reporters in “support” of the state resolution. The BJP lawmaker has now released a statement saying he “strongly opposed” the resolution.
The BJP leader strongly backed the laws in assembly, where he said: “Bharat is a land of farmers. These laws are for the benefit and protection of farmers – to do away with middle men and commission agents. These laws give rights to farmers to sell their produce anywhere. People opposing these laws are those against the interest of farmers. Such laws have been suggested by (the) Congress and (the) CPM in the past.” However, he did not vote against the resolution and abstained from voting.
His remarks outside the assembly, however, stunned reporters. He said: “This may not be party stand. These compromises are a part of a democratic system. We must not be adamant. We must go with the consensus. Before that consensus is formalised, I put my difference of opinions before people.”
Hours later, he did a U-turn on his comments and released a statement saying he was against the resolution. “I have strongly opposed the resolution against farm laws. I have clearly stated my stand in the assembly during my speech. I have even said that Prime Minister is always ready for talks but the pre-condition by (the) protesters to repeal the laws for talks has delayed the process. That I am against the central government is contrary to the truth.”
Earlier in the day, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan moved a resolution against all the three agricultural laws brought by the Centre in the Assembly amid the ongoing farmer agitation across the country. A special session of the state assembly was called against the agriculture bill. During this, Vijayan said that it is clear from the current situation that if the movement continues it will have a serious impact on Kerala. There is no doubt that if food supplies from other states are stopped then Kerala will remain hungry.
The introduction of this proposal means that new agricultural laws will not apply to Kerala. Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Monday approved the convening of a day-long assembly session on 31 December to discuss the three controversial central agricultural laws and pass a resolution against them. A few days ago, the CPI (M) -led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government sent a new proposal to convene the assembly session as the Governor had earlier rejected a similar recommendation.
Earlier this month, the Kerala government decided to move the Supreme Court against these bills of the Centre. State Agriculture Minister VS Sunil Kumar had said that the state would move the Supreme Court against the agriculture law. He had said that as agriculture comes in the concurrent list, new laws infringe on the rights of the states and it is against the federal structure of the country.
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