The state has also decided to approach the Supreme Court against the bills.
A special session of the Kerala Legislative Assembly will be convened on December 23, Wednesday, to discuss the contentious farm bills. The special session will discuss the three controversial farm bills – The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020. A state cabinet meeting on Monday morning decided to recommend to the Governor to convene the special session. “The special session is to discuss the three farm bills that led to the outrage of famers across the country”, says a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office. Though there are reports that the state will pass a resolution against the farm bills, this has not been confirmed yet. The Kerala government had already announced that it will approach the Supreme Court against the farm laws. When the Union government had passed the Citizenship Amendment Act (2019), Kerala assembly was one of the first to adopt a resolution against it. Days after the farmers protest began, Agriculture Minister VS Sunil Kumar had said that food security will be in danger if the laws were implemented. "Every stage of farming- from buying seeds to marketing the produce- will be under the control of corporate companies," he said. Kerala will not implement new farm laws, to approach SC against it 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." Kerala cabinet decided to convene a special session of the legislative assembly on 23rd December before the scheduled budget session to discuss and reject the controversial farm laws. Kerala in total solidarity with the farmer’s struggle. — Thomas Isaac (@drthomasisaac) December 21, 2020 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. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said that the government was exploring legal options against the farm bills. The CM, post a Cabinet meeting in September, said that there was a discussion (in the cabinet meeting) on whether legal steps can be initiated and that's being looked into and once it's done, a decision will be taken. Kerala government mulls moving Supreme Court against Farm Bills Farmers under the joint farmers’ council in the state started an indefinite protest in the state capital on December 12 in solidarity with protesting farmers from other states. Meanwhile, the protesting farmers began a day-long relay hunger strike on Monday at New Delhi and other places. Kerala farmers start indefinite protest in solidarity with farmers agitating in Delhi Explainer: The 'Farm Bills' controversy, and why farmers are protesting
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