Updated: December 8, 2020 4:12:15 am
Farmers at the Singhu border in New Delhi on Monday. (Express photo by Praveen Khanna)
A day after a united opposition extended its support to the December 8 Bharat Bandh called by farmer groups in protest, the ruling BJP on Monday attacked political parties for opposing land reform laws and, citing his previous support for many of the provisions, they accused of “shameful double standards.”
Congress responded by saying that the BJP, by launching a “nonsensical” and “nonsensical” anti-Congress tirade, was trying to hide the “sin” of trying to snatch the livelihood of farmers and hand it over to their “capitalist friends.” ”.
EXPLAINED | Farmer protests: why the government should not allow positions to harden
The BJP sent the party leader and Union minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad, to confront the Opposition. He claimed that a sector of farmers had fallen into the hands of a few people with “vested interests”, while claiming that the government was working to address their doubts about the reforms.
Prasad said rival BJP parties have joined the protest in a bid to save their existence after being repeatedly rejected by people in different elections across the country. The minister noted that many of the parties that have expressed support for the peasant protest had suggested similar reforms in their manifestos in the past. He read the Congressional manifesto for the 2019 general election to point out that he had promised to “repeal” the APMC Act and also said that Rahul Gandhi had asked states governed by Congress in 2013 to take steps to allow farmers to sell their produce. directly. .
Farmers on the Singhu border. His protest entered its 12th day today (Express photo: Amit Mehra)
Prasad said that NCP leader Sharad Pawar, who was agriculture minister in the UPA government, had asked states to amend the APMC Act and had even warned them that the Center would not provide financial assistance in the absence of all three reforms. .
However, he praised the farmers’ unions who protested for not associating their uproar with political parties.
A farmer holds a banner at the Singhu border during the ‘Delhi Chalo’ (PTI) protest march
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, inaugurating the Agra Metro virtually from Delhi, said development reforms are needed. “We cannot build the next century with laws from the previous century. Some laws that used to be good in the last century have become a burden now. Reforms must be an ongoing process, ”he said without making any direct reference to the new laws or to protests by farmers.
Explained: In the previous period, when the NDA government withdrew an ordinance amid protests
In response to Prasad’s comments, the congressional communications department in charge, Randeep Surjewala, while insisting on the repeal of the three laws, said: “It was the Modi government that passed the three black laws through a midnight ordinance. . It was the BJP government that forcibly passed the three black laws through a voice vote that denigrates the procedures and practice of Parliament. The Modi government is acting as a subservient and subjugated servant to a handful of industrial cronies to hand over the 25 lakh crore trade in agricultural products to their friends. And it’s an irony that he’s blaming Congress for it. “
Farmers said they consider their demand for repeal of farm laws ‘non-negotiable’
When asked about Prasad’s specific charges, he said: “The UPA and Congress gave a maximum MSP to farmers and kept the APMC system as well as the MSP system. So what are the nasty comments you are making? What you are saying does not make any sense or have any reason behind it. The Congressional manifesto clearly states that APMC will change its name to Farmers Markets and multiply by the thousands.
Tweeting in support of the protesters, former Congress Speaker Rahul Gandhi said: “The ‘Adani-Ambani farm laws’ must be repealed. Nothing less is acceptable. “In another tweet, he said that Congress would fully support the Bharat bandh.” Atrocities and injustices in the annadatas cannot be tolerated, “he added.
Farmers camping on the Singhu border (Express Photo: Amit Mehra)
Opposition parties, including many regional groups, demonstrated on Sunday in strong support for the ‘Bharat Bandh’ on December 8 called by farmers’ unions who have been protesting on the Delhi borders for 11 days demanding the repeal of the new agricultural marketing laws of the Center.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi, NCP’s Pawar, CPI Secretary General (M) Sitaram Yechury, DMK Chief MK Stalin, and PAGD President Farooq Abdullah, among others, have issued a joint statement endorsing the proposed day-long strike and pressured the Center to comply with the legitimate demands of the protesters.
The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee said 24 political parties have extended their support for the so-called bandh given by farmers groups.
With input from ENS, Lucknow
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