'Did Cong give false promise in manifesto': Sitharaman to Sonia after Art 254(2) option

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday hit out at Congress over party chief Sonia Gandhi’s vice to party-ruled states to bypass Centre's newly passed farm laws through legislative measures and said opposition party in its 2019 Lok Sabha manifesto h promised repeal of Agricultural Produce Market Committees Act.

In a tweet, Sitharaman pointed out that Congress h promised to make tre in agricultural produce —including exports and inter-state tre — free from all restrictions. Minister asked if Congress h me a "false promise" during general elections or is “provoking people w” by asking states to bypass central legislation. "Wonder who vises ir President?” she took a dig at Gandhi.

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Article 254(2) option

Sonia Gandhi on Monday vised Congress-ruled states to explore possibilities to pass laws in ir respective states under Article 254(2) of constitution, which allows state legislatures to pass a law, “to negate anti-agriculture central laws encroaching upon state’s jurisdiction under constitution”.

“This would enable states to bypass unacceptable anti-farmers’ provisions in three draconian agricultural laws including abolition of MSP and disruption of APMCs in Congress-ruled states. This would also alleviate farmers from grave injustice done by Modi Government and BJP,” a Congress statement h said.

On Sunday, President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to all three farm bills passed by Parliament — Essential Commodities (Amendment) 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm services Act 2020 and Farmers' produce tre and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act 2020.

Prime Minister Modi has assured farmers that mandis and minimum sale price will remain, allaying main concern of farmers and lashed out at Opposition for 'spreing rumours'.   Centre also increased minimum support price of wheat by Rs 50 per quintal to Rs 1,975 per quintal, to allay farmers' fears. But several states like Punjab, Maharashtra, Telangana, West Bengal, Chhatisgarh have pledged to 't implement se laws'. 

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