'Protest tourism': Hardeep Puri points out Rahul's Gandhi's 'cushioned sofa' on tractor

Amid row over farm reform laws where Congress is holding protests marches across demanding rollback of laws, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has taken a swipe at Congress calling ir protest a politically motivated one. Puri took to Twitter to state that protest by Congress is a mere 'Protest Tourism' to misguide farmers. He posted a picture from  Congress protest where Rahul Gandhi can be seen sitting on a customised 'Cushioned sofa' on a tractor.

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Congress protests against farm laws

Congress on Sunday launched a three-day 'Kheti Bachao Yatra' with Rahul Gandhi dressing crowd on multiple occasions. On Monday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi by alleging that Prime Minister was finishing "farmers and labourers" with three farms laws just like he destroyed small shopkeepers with demonetisation and GST. However, he also ackwledged re were shortfalls in previous agriculture laws. Rahul Gandhi also alleged that Narendra Modi has brought law to benefit industrialists and t common farmers.

“re is a need to strengn this system. More Mandis need to be set up. re is a need to guarantee MSP. re is need to give infrastructure to farmers. re is a need to set up silos,” he said.

“Narendra Modi is t doing this. Modi is t strengning system. If Modi gives better PDS and guarantees MSP and gives more Mandis, n Ambani and ani cant make money,” Congress leer alleged.

Even Congress President Sonia Gandhi h also vised Congress-ruled states (Punjab, Chhatisgarh and Rajasthan) to explore ways to refuse implementation of new agriculture laws.

Centre's assurances

This protests by Congress comes even as Centre on multiple occasions has assured that new reform laws will t affect MSP mechanism and Mandi system will continue to exist. new reform laws will only free farmers from being compulsively dependant on Mandis to sell ir produce as farmers will be able to sell outside of Mandis.

Centre has contended that new laws will give farmers freedom to sell ir produce outside of Mandis as against earlier compulsion to sell only through Mandis, which led to corruption and less revenue to farmers. farmers will also have option to sell through Mandis if y wish too.

What are farm laws?

Farmers' Produce Tre and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 aims at freeing  farmers from constraints of state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby y would be able to sell ir produce anywhere. Meanwhile,  Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to eng with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services. This entails provision of contract farming. On or hand,  Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 specifies that supply of foodstuffs including cereals, pulses, potato, edible oilseeds, and oils shall be regulated only under exceptional circumstances.

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