Nirmala Sitharaman asked if Congress had made a false promise during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls (Archive)
New Delhi:
The Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, attacked Congress today on the advice of the head of the party, Sonia Gandhi, to the states governed by the party to circumvent the agricultural laws presented by the Center through legislative measures and said that the opposition party in its 2019 Lok Sabha manifesto had promised the Agricultural Products Market Committees Law. will be repealed.
Congress had promised to make trade in agricultural products, including exports and interstate commerce, free of all restrictions, Sitharaman said in tweets.
He asked if Congress had made false promises during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections or if it is “provoking the people now” by asking states to circumvent the central legislation.
“From Section 7, Page 9 of INC India Lok Sabha Manifesto 2019: ‘Congress will repeal the Agricultural Products Market Committees Act and make trade in agricultural products including exports and interstate commerce free from all the restrictions, ‘”Sitharaman said. .
“Did INC India make a false promise during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections or are they provoking people now by asking the states to circumvent the core legislation? I wonder who advises their president?” she asked.
Sonia Gandhi on Monday advised states governed by Congress to explore the possibilities of passing laws in their respective states under article 254 (2) of the Constitution, which allows state legislatures to pass a law, “to deny laws anti-agriculture centrals invading the jurisdiction of the state under the constitution. “
“This would allow states to circumvent the unacceptable anti-farmer provisions in the three draconian farm laws, including the abolition of the MSP and the discontinuation of the CMPAs in states ruled by Congress. This would also relieve farmers of grave injustice. committed by the Modi Government and BJP, “a congressional statement had said.
Article 254 (2) of the Constitution provides that when a law enacted by a state legislature with respect to one of the matters enumerated in the concurrent list “contains any provision contrary to the provisions of a previous law enacted by Parliament or a statute existing with respect to that matter, “then, the law thus elaborated by the legislature”, if it has been reserved for the consideration of the President and has received his consent, shall prevail in that state. “
The parliament approved three agricultural bills: the Agricultural Products Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers’ Agreement (Empowerment and Protection) on Price Guarantee, and the Agricultural Services Act, 2020 and the Act of Essential Products (Amendment), 2020 – during the monsoon session of parliament.
Congress and several other opposition parties have opposed the provisions of the bills.
President Ram Nath Kovind has given his consent to the three agricultural bills.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is posted from a syndicated channel.)
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