Shah to Cong: 'Why didn't you give ₹6,000 per year to farmers when in power?'
Narendra Singh Tomar added that with the Supreme Court's intervention there is no point in farmers' demand about repealing the laws.
Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday continued his attack on the Congress over the farm laws and asked why didn't the party give ₹6,000 per year to farmers when it was in power.
"I would like to ask Congress leaders who are talking in favour of farmers, why didn't you give ₹6,000 per year to farmers or made Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana or amended ethanol policy when you were in power? Because your intention was not right," Shah said while addressing a public rally in Bagalkot district of Karnataka.
Shah said the Narendra Modi government is committed to working for the welfare of the farmers.
"The three farm laws will help farmers' income increase manifold. Now farmers can sell agriculture produce anywhere in the country and the world," he added.
The farmers who have been protesting against the Centre's farm laws for more than seven weeks, have said the government is dragging things so that they get tired and leave the protest site.
"For almost two months, we are suffering and dying in cold weather. The government is giving us 'tarikh pe tarikh' and are dragging things so that we get tired and leave the place. This is their conspiracy," said Hannan Mollah, general secretary, All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS).
The government has sent a proposal to protesting farmer unions in which it has agreed to address their apprehensions regarding mandis, and traders' registration among other things, Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar said earlier in the day.
"We had sent a proposal to farmer unions in which we agreed to address their apprehensions regarding mandis and traders' registration among other things. The government has also agreed to discuss laws on stubble burning and electricity but unions only want the repeal of the laws," Tomar told ANI.
He reiterated that the government is ready to bring amendments in the laws, and added that laws are enacted for the whole country and many people in the country are happy with the laws.
"The farmer unions are not budging from their stance, they are constantly asking to repeal the laws. When the government enacts the law, it is for the whole country. Most of the farmers, scholars, scientists, and people working in the agriculture sector agree with these laws," he stated.
Tomar added that with the Supreme Court's intervention there is no point in farmers' demand about repealing the laws.
"If the Supreme Court has stayed the implementation of laws, then I think the question of repealing ends. We expect farmers to discuss the laws clause by clause on January 19 and give us options about what amendments can be brought in the laws other than repealing," he stated further.
On January 12, the Supreme Court stayed the implementation of the Centre's three farm laws and asked the committee formed by it concerning the laws to submit its report within two months.
The committee has been directed to hold a dialogue with farmers and submit its recommendations pertaining to the farm laws within two months from the date of its first sitting.
Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws - Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
(With inputs from agencies)
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