NEW DELHI: Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said his party will scrap the three farm laws and throw them in the waste paper basket when it comes to power at the Centre. Gandhi’s statement comes in the backdrop of the launch of the “Kheti Bachao Aandolan” in Punjab with chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday.
Congress and other key opposition parties have been opposing the three farm laws which were passed in the monsoon session of Parliament last month. On Sunday, the top leadership of the party hit the streets against the laws with a three-day campaign led by Gandhi in the Punjab.
“We are with you and we will not take any step back. The aim of the Modi government is to break the back of farmers. I am not saying there are no shortcomings in the system, of course there are and there is a need to reform the system. But there is no need to destroy the entire system because farmers will have no protection left,” Gandhi said at a public rally in Badhni Kalan of Moga district in Punjab on Sunday.
“I guarantee you, the day the Congress party comes to power, we will bring an end to all these three farm laws and throw it in the waste paper basket,” he added.
Taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi led union government over the three farm laws, Gandhi said that the Centre’s aim was to end the system of Minimum Support Price (MSP) and procurement which would impact the farmers.
“What was the necessity of these three laws during covid-19? What was the hurry? If they wanted to bring it, there should have been a detailed discussion in Parliament. If farmers are happy with this law then why are they protesting?,” Gandhi said during his address following which he along with senior party leaders led a tractor rally in Moga district in support of farmers.
“The prime minister says the laws are being framed for farmers. If the laws are being made for farmers, then why didn’t you debate in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha?” asked Rahul Gandhi
Punjab has become the epicenter of protests over the farm bills with Amarinder Singh leading Congress’ protest over the issue. The farm laws became a bone of contention in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) too with its ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) parting ways over it.
Addressing the public meeting, Amarinder Singh said he would not back out of the fight against the ‘black laws’ till they are amended to give a written Constitutional guarantee on MSP and continuation of Food Corporation of India (FCI). He added that his sense was the union government may pay MSP for a couple of crops but would eventually completely scrap the system.
Last month, President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the three farm laws – the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020. Protests over the laws have intensified particularly in Punjab and Haryana.