Farmers Movement Archive

Farm laws: Irani slams RaGa for doublespeak

Varanasi: Union minister Smriti Irani attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his doublespeak on farm bills and asked him to term his party’s manifesto for 2019 parliamentary election as ‘black manifesto’ before calling the recently passed farm laws as black laws. Talking to reporters on her visit to Varanasi on Saturday, Irani said, “Rahul’s doglapan (double speaks) on farm bills is known very well. In its 2019 election manifesto, Congress had promised to repeal Agricultural Produce Market Committees Act and make trade in agricultural produce — including exports and inter-state trade — free from all restrictions. His 2016 speech in which he spoke on APMC Act has also not been forgotten.” She further asked Rahul why he skipped parliament session when the farm bills were tabled and passed and targeted Congress-led opposition for attacking Rajya Sabha’s deputy speaker. “They attacked the chair on which the vice president of India sits. Such degrading acts have become the work culture of Congress,” the minister said. Addressing a gathering of farmers at Shahanshahpur, Irani highlighted the key points of the new farm laws and said they in fact are making farmers independent after seven decades of independence of the country. “Now, farmers are not bound to sell their produce at any particular market of traders. They can sell it to any individual or organization of any state, who will have to clear their payment within three days. Farmers will fix the price of their own produce while trade-related disputes, if any, will be heard in their own districts, she said.“Those opposi ng the recently passed farm bills are worried as the new laws will break the syndicate of middlemen, and have not left any political opportunities for them,” she said. Irani also highlighted other initiatives of PM Narendra Modi for farmers and farm sector like Kisan Samman Nidhi, establishment of Agriculture Science Centre, soil testing facilities, soil health card, fisheries and others. She said PM Modi is fulfilling all his commitments to the farmers.

The Times of India

2020-10-04

Varanasi