JP Nadda hails Farm Bills as step towards 'empowerment', says 'Farmers being misled'

Under fire over contentious farm sector reforms, BJP president JP Nda on Friday defended proposed legislation saying middle-men and vested interests are misleing farmers and Modi government is aiming to empower farmers.

"PM Modi has given freedom to farmers to buy and sell ir produce in market of ir choice. More than this y will be provided a comparative price list so that y can choose ir rate. This is level of farmer empowerment. y will sell in AMC and MSP. But middlemen are lying and misleing. y are doing it because ir profit will end," Nda said in a video dress.

leer claimed that BJP was  only political party which supplied "25 crores food packets, 5 crores ration kits and 1 crore masks" to needy during coronavirus lockdown. Taking a dig at Opposition, Nda ded, "Or political parties were into lockdown mode mselves, y didn't do anything for poor."

BJP chief asserted that government won't buckle under pressure politics and will do what is right for farmers. "Essential Commodities Act is being regulated as re was a rise in volume of commodities. We won't buckle under pressure politics. We will do what is right for farmers."

After a long debate over three farm ordinances, Lok Sabha on Thursday passed Farmers' Produce Tre and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020. three bills aimed at massive agricultural reforms were introduced on first day of ongoing monsoon session by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. With support of AIMK, YSRCP, TDP, BJD, and or allies BJP-led coalition won voice vote passing all three bills. Following this, Union Minister and Akali Dal leer Harsimrat Kaur resigned in protest.

PN Narendra Modi while inaugurating  new rail line and electrification project in Bihar also sought to assu farmers' concern. "Farmers have been given new independence in agriculture. y'll w have more options and opportunities to sell ir produce. I congratulate m on pass of Bills. It was necessary to bring se to protect m from middlemen. se are farmers' shields."

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What are three Farm bills?

Amid nationwide lockdown, Centre rolled out three governance and ministrative reforms in agriculture amending Essential Commodities act to enable better price realisation for farmers by attracting investments - making agriculture sector competitive. Agriculture foodstuff including cereals, edible oils, oilseeds, pulses, onions and potato to be deregulated while stock limits were to imposed under extreme conditions. Under Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm services ordinance, 2020, it provided a framework for protection and empowerment of farmers with reference to sale and purchase of farm products overriding all state APMC laws.

three farm bills have seen widespre protests across Haryana, Uttar Presh, and Punjab, with thousands of farmers blocking ros. At Kurukshetra, police resorted to lathicharge to disperse agitators, leing to massive outr criticising Police and Haryana government. While Haryana Congress leers claimed that ruling BJP government is anti-farmers, Mahar Lal Khattar government stayed mum. Punjab CM Amarinder Singh has alrey passed a resolution in Assembly, rejecting three ordinances, assuring farmers all cases will be withdrawn for ir protests.

(PTI Photo)

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