The Modi government has brought the three farm bills by encroaching upon the state subject of ‘agriculture’ as per the 7th Schedule of the Constitution and so it is unconstitutional and an attack on the federal structure, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said on Sunday.

Therefore, as per the AICC programme, Chhattisgarh will continue to oppose the bills, Baghel told the media.

He demanded that for ‘One Nation One Market’ the government must also fix ‘One rate of MSP’. This is what has agitated the farmers. Chhattisgarh will bring a resolution in the next Assembly session and, if needed, go to court.

Baghel said the government has also allowed companies to hire and fire at will if they have up to 300 workers, up from the earlier 100 workers limit.

Third, the Shanta Kumur committee has recommended dismantling the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and food grains distribution through the PDS system, he said.

Highlighting certain points of the new bills, Baghel pointed that earlier also farmers could sell anywhere in the country. The agitation by farmers is to fix the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for procurement by private agriculture markets and by private players.

With the Essential Commodities Act lifted on hoarding, private players will hoard food grains. This will directly hit the consumers, the Chief Minister said.

On Mandi, he said earlier a trader had to pay tax and take a license to operate.      Any dispute was resolved by the Secretary within five days. Now, these have been waived off.

On contract farming, he said it favours fruits and vegetables but not cereals. Chhattisgarh farmers up to 90 percent were benefited by the earlier system of procurement.

On the Swaminathan Committee report, the Chief Minister said the NDA like UPA should hike the MSP by 12 percent to double the farmers’ income. The MSP should be fixed on the basis of  agriculture input, labour input of the family along with rental of the land.