New Delhi: After the Congress claimed the government was planning to revive the now-repealed farm laws in a modified form, Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar declared the government will not do so.
“I did not say this,” Tomar said when asked about his statement at an event in Nagpur on Friday during he said the government has moved a “step back” and “will move forward again” while speaking about the farm laws.
“I had said that the government had made good (farm) laws. We took them back due to some reason. The government will continue to work for the welfare of the farmers,” the minister said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 19 apologised to the country and announced the three laws, against which farmers were protesting at the borders of Delhi and other parts of the country for more than a year, will be taken back.
Both Houses of Parliament passed the farm laws repeal bill on November 29.
“We brought the farm laws. Some people did not like them but it was a big reform after 70 years after Independence which was moving ahead under the leadership of Narendra Modiji. But the government is not disappointed,” Tomar said during the event in Nagpur.
“We moved a step back and we will move forward again because farmers are India’s backbone and if the backbone is strengthened, the country will become stronger.”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said Tomar insulted PM Modi’s apology. “The agriculture minister has insulted Modi’s apology — it is highly condemnable. If the anti-agro-farming steps are taken again, then there will be annadata satyagraha again…” Gandhi tweeted.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said PM Modi apologised and repealed the three “black” laws in Parliament fearing defeat in the election of the five states.
“Tomar’s statement has once again exposed the Centre’s conspiracy to bring back the three anti-farmer laws. It is clear that after the assembly elections in five states, the central government is planning to bring back the three black laws in a new form and this they are doing under the pressure of capitalists,” Congress general secretary Surjewala said.
As an independent media platform, we do not take advertisements from governments and corporate houses. It is you, our readers, who have supported us on our journey to do honest and unbiased journalism. Please contribute, so that we can continue to do the same in future.
