Mamata government's decision to bring resolution against farm laws poll gimmick to fool masses: BJP

KOLKATA: West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh on Sunday called the TMC government's decision to bring a resolution against the new farm laws a "poll gimmick to fool the masses".

The TMC, on the other hand, said that the BJP's concern for farmers is "fake" as the Centre is not heeding the demands of the agitating farmers.

Elections to the 294-member assembly are due in April-May.

Ghosh wondered that if the TMC is so concerned for the farmers, then why is it "creating roadblocks" for the implementation of the new agriculture laws.

He also said that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has agreed to implement the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna in the state as the party is losing ground among farmers.

"The decision to bring a resolution against the new farm laws is a poll gimmick to fool the masses. The TMC had earlier passed a resolution against demonetisation and GST but that did not yield any result. This, too, won't have any impact," Ghosh told reporters.

"There are more than 70 lakh farmers in the state. They were denied the benefits of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna. But now the Mamata Banerjee government has agreed to implement the scheme after such a long time as she has realised that the TMC is fast losing ground in West Bengal," he said.

The TMC government should send the entire list of around 73 lakh farmers to the Centre for verification, he said.

Earlier this month, the TMC government had softened its stand on implementing the PM Kisan scheme in the state, after more than a year of opposing the initiative.

State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee had recently said that a special two-day session of the state assembly will be convened from January 27 to table a resolution against the Centre's new farm laws and discuss the farmers' agitation.

He had said a draft of the resolution will be sent to the Left parties and Congress for a united fight against the new farm laws.

The Left parties and the Congress had on January 1 urged Banerjee for a session of the assembly over the farm laws.

"The BJP's concern for farmers is fake as the Centre is not heeding the demands of the agitating farmers, while on the other hand, the BJP is lecturing us on farmers' condition.

"The Centre has brought anti-farmers laws which is why we are bringing a resolution against the laws," Chatterjee, also the TMC secretary-general, said.