Farmers Movement Archive

‘Cong. promised same reforms’

A day after the monsoon session of Parliament ended amid a flurry of protests by the Opposition over three farm Bills, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday demanded that the Congress first disassociate itself from its own 2019 Lok Sabha election manifesto that promised the same agricultural reforms that the Modi government had brought in. “If Rahul Gandhi agrees with the Congress manifesto of the 2019 Lok Sabha election, then he should join efforts in educating farmers,” Mr. Tomar said. At a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, Mr. Tomar reiterated the government’s commitment to farmers’ welfare, and said the new measures would bring them remunerative prices for their produce. He said the government was open to holding talks with farmers to assuage any doubts among them on the efficacy of the reforms. “If any farmer wants to speak to any government representative on these Bills even at midnight, we are ready,” he said. Responding to the demand by the Opposition that continuation of the minimum support price should be mentioned in the law, he said the MSP was always an administrative decision. “Why did the Congress not bring a law during its 50 years of rule if it thinks this was necessary,” he asked. He cited reports of various commissions and reported views of Sharad Pawar, who was Agriculture Minister in the UPA government, to assert that these Bills were in line with their recommendations. ‘Withdraw manifesto’ Asked about Mr. Gandhi’s charge that the Modi government had harmed farmers and was now doing “PR”, Mr. Tomar said the Congress leader should first withdraw his party’s manifesto. The new laws will allow farmers to get paid for their produce in advance, help them move produce which fetched them better prices and allow them to sell their produce outside the mandis without paying taxes, he said. “Farmers, so far, were forced to sell their produce in mandis . In Punjab, there is 8.5% tax in the mandis on several items. Now, through these Bills, the farmer will be able to sell his produce even outside the ambit of themandi, even outside his State at any price he chooses,” Mr. Tomar said. Parliament passed the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill in the session which concluded on Wednesday. They will become laws after getting the assent of the President and being notified.

The Hindu

2020-09-25

NEW DELHI