‘Farmers aware of Cong’s duplicity’: Nadda launches offensive

New Delhi, Sep 20 (IANS) The opposition may be mounting an all-out attack on the Centre over the passage of the two agri Bills, but the treasury benches are not sitting idle either.

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday again sought to assure the opposition on minimum support price (MSP) and categorically stated, “We are here to serve our farmers”, BJP President J.P. Nadda too came out strongly in support of the legislation and attacked the Congress for its stance.

Nadda said that the Congress is misleading the farmers.

An aggressive Nadda alleged, “Congress party never undertook any reforms for empowerment of farmers. It neither had the time nor the will to help farmers. Misleading the farmers and the poor is the age-old habit of the Congress. Farmers are aware of its duplicity and will not be swayed by its fake propaganda.”

Highlighting the doublespeak of the Congress, Nadda stated that in 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Congress party had announced it would end APMC market system. He went on to state that even after these legislations, APMC market yards and MSP will continue. “Why do Rahul Gandhi and Congress have a grudge on farmers being empowered?” he asked.

“Now, the farmer will be his own boss. He can make his own decisions. The new legislation empowers farmers and gives alternative marketing channels including e-marketing platform. Farmers can get better remunerative prices. Farm-related problems can now be resolved at his doorstep,” he added.

Earlier, the Prime Minister posted a series of tweets in Punjabi to reach out to the farmers of Punjab who seem to be unhappy with the legislation. In one of those tweets in Punjabi, Modi reasoned, “Our agriculture sector urgently needs the latest technology as it will help the hardworking farmers. With the passage of these Bills now, our farmers will have easier access to future technology.”

Amid the din and an animated opposition, the Upper House gave the nod to the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020. Both the Bills were already passed by the Lok Sabha.

–IANS

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