New Delhi, Sep 18, 2020, IANS
Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked Opposition parties on Friday, saying they are "lying" to farmers. He also claimed that the NDA Government is doing what "they" themselves promised in their manifestos, referring to the Congress.
The Prime Minister said the Bills were "necessary" to safeguard the farmers from middlemen. He was speaking after inaugurating the Kosi mega bridge.
"Farmers are now given new independence in agriculture. Now, they will have more options and opportunities to sell their produce. It was necessary to bring these Bills to protect them from middlemen. These are farmers' shields," said the Prime Minister said in a virtual message after inaugurating the Kosi mega bridge.
In an apparent dig at the Congress party, he said that those who ruled India for decades are now "lying" to farmers. He also said that those who are objecting about the Bill promised to remove the contentious APMC Act in their election manifestos.
He also cited an example of how Bihar CM Nitish Kumar had got rid of the same Act.
He promised that the government will continue to buy farmers' produce. Modi also asserted that the claim that MSP benefit will no longer be given is "fiction". "This is a blatant lie, wrong, a betrayal with our farmers," remarked PM Modi.
He added, "Our government is committed to provide the right price to our farmers through MSP. We were [committed] before, we are today and we will continue to remain in future," announced an assertive Prime Minister.
This assertive clarification by the Prime Minister comes just a day after the resignation of Harsimrat Kaur Badal from the union cabinet protesting against the farm-related Bills.
The Modi government brought three major Bills related to the agricultural sector while the Opposition protested their introduction. The first Bill is the Essential Commodities Act while the second one is on Farm Produced and Trade (Promotion and Facilitation) which allows everyone to buy and sell agricultural products. The third bill is on Farmer (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services which legitimates contract based farming.