Congress injuring farmers' interests with dagger of deceit: Naqvi on agri law protest

NEW DELHI: Slamming the Congress for opposing the farm bills, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Monday said the opposition party is "injuring" farmers' interests with its "dagger of deceit" in a bid to turn its "barren political land" fertile.

While addressing farmers during "Kisan Chaupal" in Moradabad's Lodhipur village, Naqvi said the commitment of the Modi government to double the income of the farmers has "quadrupled the worry of brokers and middlemen".

The Congress is trying to protect "fiefdom of feudal middlemen" by opposing the agriculture reform bills, the Minority Affairs minister alleged.

Agriculture-based India has moved forward on the path of farmers' welfare with farmers getting respect for their hardwork and a fair price for their produce, Naqvi was quoted as saying in a statement by his office.

He said the agriculture reform bills of the Modi government are the guarantee of "happiness and prosperity" of crores of farmers of the country.

These bills will ensure economic empowerment of the farmers by providing them freedom from the clutches of middlemen, he said.

Naqvi alleged that the Congress and its allies are putting obstacles on the path of economic empowerment of the farmers.

The Congress and its allies are committing the "sin of protecting the middlemen" and farmers of the country will never forgive the party for this, he said.

Parliament had passed 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 during the Monsoon Session and the president granted his assent for them.

The laws seek to liberalise the agriculture sector and allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country.

Naqvi said that as the bills have now been passed, the farmers will get new opportunities to sell their produce, which will increase their profits.

This will give the agriculture sector the benefit of modern technology and the farmers will be empowered, he said.

The minimum support price (MSP) and government procurement will remain in place, he asserted.

These laws will give freedom to farmers for storage and sale of their crops and free them from the clutches of middlemen, he said.

Farmers will be liberated from legal restrictions and will not be compelled to sell their produce to the licensed traders in mandis anymore, Naqvi said.

Farmers will also get freedom from the tax of government mandis and they will get their payments within three days, the minister said, adding that the dream of 'One Nation, One Market' will be fulfilled.

Naqvi said the Congress and some other opposition parties are trying to "mislead" the farmers of the country by falsely claiming that through the laws there is a plan to end the minimum support price.

He pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly said the system of MSP will continue as before, across the country, and no change will be made.

The Congress and those opposing the laws are claiming that the contract farming will harm farmers' interests as they will not be able to decide the price for their produce, but the fact is that the farmers will have full freedom to decide the price of their produce and if a farmer is not satisfied with the contract, he can cancel it, Naqvi said.