Against the backdrop of three bills related to farmers being voted in Parliament, BJP President JP Nadda on Wednesday charged the Congress with being “double faced” and playing politics by opposing the “revolutionary bills” in the two houses even as he asserted that Prime Minster Narendra Modi is actually implementing what the opposition party had promised to the farmers in its 2019 manifesto.
A day after the Lok Sabha passed the Essential Commodities (Amendment)Bill, 2020, which seeks to deregulate food items, including cereals , pulses and onion and aimed at raising farmers’ income, the BJP claimed that its Government was “freeing” farmers from an outdated and restrictive system.
The Bill, which would now go to the Rajya Sabha and two other bills on the floor, have been described as “revolutionary” and “far sighted” by Nadda. He said it would increase the price of the produce, give freedom to farmers to sell their produce outside the ‘Mandi’ and increase private investment in agriculture.
He said the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, had turned outdated as it was then needed to regulate the market and prevent hoarding.
The produce of wheat, rice and dal, he said, has now increased ten, four and two and half-times respectively and the market requires to be deregulated.
“You can now sell produce outside mandi also in a competitive market to get the best price in a transparent manner,” said the BJP President.
Nadda said contract farming would be on a written document on the produce and not on the land with “ assured price, bonus and variables for the farmer”, he claimed.
Charging Congress with having a “double-faced” stand, the BJP chief said Congress promised to remove all restrictions on the agriculture produce in its 2019 manifesto and demanded replacement of 1955 Act.
“Modiji has implemented what Congress promised. The same Congress is now opposing these bills in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha,” Nadda said and asserted they were meant for the “azadi of kisans”.
He said despite the progressive legislation for farmers, the system of Minimum Support Price for the farmers would continue.
