If farmers are happy with new farm laws, why are they protesting across the nation: Rahul Gandhi

Continuing with the protests against farm laws recently enacted by the Modi government, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said that all three farm laws will be scrapped if it comes to power in 2024.

“I give you a guarantee that the day Congress party comes to power, we will scrap these three black laws and throw them in a waste paper basket,” said Rahul Gandhi while addressing ‘Kheti Bachao Rally’ at Moga in Punjab.

Attacking the Modi government, the former Congress president asked, “If farmers are happy with these laws then why are they protesting across the nation? Why is every farmer in Punjab protesting?”

Questioning the manner in which the farm bills were passed during COVID-19 without any “open discussion”, Rahul asked, “What was the need to implement these laws amid COVID19? What was the haste? If you had to implement it you should have discussed it in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The PM says laws are being framed for farmers. If that is the case, why didn't you discuss it openly in the House?”

Addressing the rally, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh said that there is no use of the government’s promises to the farmers as long as the farm laws are not amended to make MSP (Minimum Support Price) compulsory.

“As long as the laws passed in the Parliament are not amended to make the MSP compulsory, there is no use of their promises,” he said.

Addressing the rally, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot S Sidhu said, “They are trying to impose America’s failed system on us. Capitalists are running this country. Benefits to farmers are labelled as subsidies whereas relaxations worth lakhs of rupees given to the rich are called incentives”.

Before addressing the rally, Rahul led a tractor march. In photographs shared by the Congress party, he can be sitting on the front seat of a tractor being driven by Congress leader Sunil Jakhar with Captain Amarinder Singh at his side.

The three farm laws enacted by the Modi government aim to reform agriculture marketing practices with the abolition of Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMC).

While the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce laws will enable farmers to sell their produce in open markets, at places apart from their designated APMC, the Farmers Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services laws will allow contract farming to the farmers. An amendment to the Essential Commodities Act put some agricultural products outside its purview.