Agri laws are 'anti-farmer', will lead to immense inflation: Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi, Dec 14: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said the new farm laws will lead to immense inflation and will only favour a few capitalists, as he termed the legislations "anti-farmer and anti-common man".

Kejriwal, who joined AAP leaders, ministers, MLAs and volunteers at the party office in observing a day-long fast in support of the protesting farmers, said the new farm laws 'gives license to inflate'.

Farmer leaders on Monday held a day-long hunger strike against the Centre's new farm laws and claimed that protests took place at all district headquarters. They also claimed that more people are expected to join the ongoing agitation at Delhi border points. Addressing party members, Kejriwal said this law says people can hoard as much as they want.

"I appeal to parties to stop playing dirty politics over farmers' issue. These laws are anti-farmer and anti-aam aadmi and are aimed to benefit a few capitalists. These laws will lead to immense inflation through hoarding. These legislations gives license to inflate," Kejriwal said.

Elaborating further, Kejriwal said these "anti-farmer" laws are not only devastating for the farmers but also "very dangerous" for every citizen of India. "The price of the day to day items will increase if these laws come into play. These laws have given free license to price hike. We can say that these laws have given legal shape to price rise.

"We know that many businessmen illegally hoard onions and other essential items. This hoarding causes price hike," he said.

Kejriwal further said these laws say unlimited hoardings can be done. "In every religion, hoarding is a sin and is illegal. By this law, if hoarding becomes legalized, then the rich people will start hoarding more and there will be price hike.

"These laws say if price hike happens twice a year, only the government can take action against the hoarders. As a chief minister, if I get to know that someone is hoarding pulses or onions leading to price rise of these items, I will not be able to take any action as per these laws. Earlier there was a limit to how much one can stock, now they have removed these caps," he said.

Kejriwal said all these limits are now gone so the rich people will hoard items for three-four years. Kejriwal further claimed that these laws are here just to favour some capitalists. "So do not think that you are doing any favour to the farmers by supporting them. These laws are already passed. If these laws are not rolled back, then we all will be in trouble and crisis. Today the farmers are protesting and doing a favour to us.

The farmers are doing a favour to all the citizens of India," he said. Noting that everyone should protest against these laws, he said the AAP is standing beside the farmers and supporting their demands. "MSP should be legalized. A law should be brought immediately legalising the MSP. Today we all held a day-long hunger strike in the support of the farmers," he added. Kejriwal said the AAP stands in solidarity with the farmers.

"From the very first day, the Aam Aadmi Party is standing beside the farmers shoulder to shoulder. Today across India, the volunteers of AAP have participated in this day-long hunger strike," he said. "The BJP-ruled central government wanted to establish makeshift prisons to send protesting farmers to jail. The AAP government immediately rejected this proposal and returned the file to the central government. We stood rock solid beside the farmers," he added.

Kejriwal said AAP volunteers have worked for the farmers as their 'sewadaars'. "I also visited the farmers as a sewadaar. I told our leaders that if the farmers survive, then only the AAP will survive. All of us are working as caregivers for these protesting farmers," he said.

Kejriwal claimed that the Centre and the BJP were rattled to see AAP support the farmers. "Last week when the formers called 'Bharat bandh', I wanted to visit the farmers and participate in it. But the BJP government blocked the doors of my house and did not allow me to go out. "They wanted to make the protest unsuccessful but it did not happen. Today I am standing here in support of the farmers and holding a day-long hunger strike," he said.

Speaking to reporters, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the farmers are very unhappy with the three black laws of the central government. "The central government should leave its arrogance and withdraw all three laws. The Aam Aadmi Party is observing fast in support of the farmers," Sisodia said.

Enacted in September, the three farm laws have been projected by the central government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country. However, the protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of minimum support price (MSP) and do away with the mandi system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.