Congress-ruled States told to bring laws to negate Centre's farm Bills

New Delhi: The Congress Monday asked states under its rule to enact legislations to bypass the three Central farm-related laws that have triggered protests by farmers in some parts of the country. The Congress is strongly opposed to the three Central legislations which were signed into laws by President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday.

"Congress president has advised the Congress-ruled states to explore the possibilities to pass laws in their respective states under Article 254(2) of the Constitution which allows the state legislatures to pass a law to negate the Anti-Agriculture Central laws encroaching upon State's jurisdiction under the Constitution," the party said in a statement.

Days after agriculture Bills were passed in Parliament leading to protests by a number of farmer organisations and political parties in various states, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called it 'a death sentence'. "The agriculture laws are a death sentence to our farmers. Their voice is crushed in Parliament and outside. Here is proof that democracy in India is dead," he said.

Some states, especially the Congress-ruled Punjab, are witnessing protests by farmers against the new Central laws. "This (states passing laws negating Central legislations) would enable the states to bypass the unacceptable anti-farmers' provisions in the three draconian Agricultural law including the abolition of MSP and disruption of APMCs in Congress ruled states," the party said.