Farmers' protest | 'Don’t become worse than Britishers,' Arvind Kejriwal tells Centre, tears copies of farm laws in Delhi Assembly

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on December 17 tore copies of the contentious farm laws while addressing a special session of Assembly.

Alleging that the laws were passed in Rajya Sabha without voting, the Delhi CM  urged the Centre to roll back the three ‘black’ laws.

"I hereby tear the three farm laws in this assembly and appeal to the Centre not to become worse than Britishers," he said as he tore the copies of the laws while speaking during the special session of Delhi Assembly.

What was the hurry to get Farm Laws passed in Parliament during pandemic? It has happened for 1st time that 3 laws were passed without voting in Rajya Sabha...I hereby tear 3 Farm laws in this assembly & appeal Centre not to become worst than Britishers: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal https://t.co/zvc2Dx1w3E pic.twitter.com/rUOACIQwp3

— ANI (@ANI) December 17, 2020

Ever since the farmers’ protest began along Delhi borders in the last week of November, Kejriwal and other leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have been vocal in extending support to the protest.

“The Delhi Assembly today rejected all three farm laws and has appealed Centre that it should take back these black laws. More than 20 farmers have died during 20 days of protest. On average, one farmer is getting martyred daily in this movement,” Kejriwal told news agency ANI outside the Assembly.

Tens of thousands of farmers have been protesting against the farm laws on Delhi borders for 22 days now.

Follow LIVE updates on Farmers' Protest here

The Opposition called Kejriwal's act 'unconstitutional' and 'charade'. BJP MP Manoj Tiwari condemned the act and said that the Delhi CM was leading a team of 'urban naxals'.

Team #UrbanNaxals under arvind kejriwal stands exposed once again! pic.twitter.com/wwTnvxg4jb

— Manoj Tiwari (@ManojTiwariMP) December 17, 2020

The AAP has faced criticism from both the Congress and the BJP for supporting the farmers’ protest despite its Delhi government notifying the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020 — one of the three laws which have sparked protests by farmers on November 23.

"Centre's three Farm laws were notified in Delhi Gazette on 23rd Nov. Now, they're tearing copies of same act in Delhi Assembly after notifying. This is opportunistic politics. Delhi CM is the new chameleon, he can just change colours without qualms," BJP Member of Parliament (MP) Meenakshi Lekhi said in a media briefing after the development.

On his part, Kejriwal has defended the move saying that his government had no choice but to implement the Centre’s law.

In his speech on December 17, Kejriwal alleged that the farm laws were passed without voting in the Rajya Sabha.

"What was the hurry to get farm laws passed in the Parliament during a pandemic? It has happened for the first time that three laws were passed without voting in Rajya Sabha," he said.

The Delhi CM asked how the farm laws will be able to benefit the farmers. "Every farmer has become Bhagat Singh. The government is saying that they are reaching out to farmers and trying to explain the benefits of farm bills. UP CM told farmers that they'll benefit from these bills as their land won't be taken away. Is it a benefit?" he said, according to news agency ANI.

READ: Farmers' Protest: Arvind Kejriwal's AAP goes big against agri reform laws: Eye on Punjab polls?

Earlier in the day, AAP MLAs Mahendra Goyal and Somnath Bharti also tore the copies of the legislation. AAP has 62 of the 70 MLAs in Delhi Assembly. BJP has remaining eight. Party MLA Kailash Gehlot tabled a resolution against the three farm bills passed by Centre in September.

Many say AAP has been vociferously supporting the farmers because it has its eye on the 2022 Assembly polls in Punjab where it is the principal opposition.

Like other opposition political parties, AAP supported the Bharat Bandh call on December 8. Kejriwal also organised one-day fast in support of the protest besides visiting the Singhu border protest site along with his ministers and MLAs.

The party went a step further by dispatching party volunteers to help agitating farmers with logistics. The Delhi Jal Board, with Kejriwal as its chairman, appointed nodal officers to ensure availability of water tankers at the protest site.