NEW DELHI: Former Congress Speaker Rahul Gandhi said Sunday that his party will scrap the three farm laws and throw them in the trash when he comes to power in the Center. Gandhi’s statement comes in the context of the launch of the “Kheti Bachao Aandolan” in Punjab with the chief minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, on Sunday.
Congress and other key opposition parties have opposed the three agricultural laws that were passed in the parliament session during the monsoon last month. On Sunday, the party’s top leadership took to the streets against the laws with a three-day campaign led by Gandhi in Punjab.
“We are with you and we will not take any step back. The Modi government’s goal is to break the farmers’ backs. I am not saying that there are no deficiencies in the system, of course there are and it is necessary to reform the system. But there is no need to destroy the whole system because farmers will not have protection, “Gandhi said at a public rally in Badhni Kalan of Punjab’s Moga district on Sunday.
“I guarantee you that the day the Congress Party comes to power, we will end these three agricultural laws and throw them away,” he added.
Confronting the union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the three farm laws, Gandhi said the Center’s goal was to end the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system and acquisitions that would affect farmers.
“What was the need for these three laws during covid-19? What was the rush? If they wanted to bring it, there should have been a detailed debate in Parliament. If farmers are happy with this law, why are they protesting? “Gandhi said during his speech, after which, together with senior party leaders, he led a tractor demonstration in Moga district in support of farmers.
“The prime minister says laws are being made for farmers. If laws are made for farmers, why didn’t you debate at Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha?” asked Rahul Gandhi
Punjab has become the epicenter of protests over agricultural bills with Amarinder Singh leading the Congressional protest on the issue. Farm laws also became a bone of contention in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) with its ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) breaking away from them.
Addressing the public meeting, Amarinder Singh said he would not back down in the fight against the ‘black laws’ until they are amended to give a written constitutional guarantee on MSP and the continuation of Food Corporation of India (FCI). He added that his feeling was that the union government could pay the MSP for a couple of crops, but would eventually eliminate the system entirely.
Last month, President Ram Nath Kovind gave his consent to the three agricultural laws: the Agricultural Products Trade and Trade (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill of 2020, the Farmers Agricultural Prices and Services Guarantee Agreement (Empowerment and Protection), 2020, and the 2020 Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill. Protests over the laws have intensified, especially in Punjab and Haryana.
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