Arvind Kejriwal tears copies of Centre's farm laws, says cannot 'betray' farmers

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday tore up copies of the Centre's three new agriculture-related laws in the legislative assembly, saying he cannot betray the country's farmers. Addressing the Delhi Assembly, the chief minister also alleged that the laws "have been made for electoral funding of the BJP and not the farmers".

"I am pained that I have to do this. I did not intend to, but I cannot betray the farmers of my country who have been sleeping on the streets in the cold... when the temperature is just 2 degrees Celsius," Kejriwal said, while tearing copies of the three laws.

"I am a citizen of this country first, a chief minister later. This assembly rejects the three laws and appeals to the central government to meet the demands of farmers," he said.


Kejriwal further said 20 protesting farmers have died so far and asked the Centre when it will "wake up".

He said the Centre should not be under the impression that the farmers will simply return to their homes. In 1907, a farmers' protest had continued for nine months till the British rulers repealed some laws, he said.