Farm laws: Kerala Governor turns down LDF govt's move to call special assembly session

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 22: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Tuesday turned down LDF government's move to convene special assembly session to pass resolution against three central farm laws.

The session would not be held on Wednesday, as proposed by CPI-M led LDF government, since the Governor did not accord sanction.

After the government forwarded the decision of the state cabinet taken on Monday to convene the session, Khan sought a clarification on the urgency for it and the Chief Minister had replied to him.

Finance Minister Thomas Isaac in a tweet said: "Kerala cabinet decided to convene a special session of the legislative assembly on 23rd December before the scheduled session to discuss and reject the controversial farm laws. Kerala in total solidarity with the farmers struggle."

The special session is being convened in the backdrop of thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab and Haryana, camping at various borders of Delhi for almost four weeks demanding the repeal of the three agricultural laws as their talks with the government representatives remained deadlocked.

The farmers are apprehending that the new laws will pave the way for a dismantling of the Minimum Support Price mechanism and the mandi system, leaving them to the "mercy" of big corporates, which the government insists are misplaced.