Oppn leaders hit out at govt on farm laws

NEW DELHI: Opposition leaders launched an attack on the central government on Tuesday over three contentious farm laws, with former Union minister and Shiromani Akali Dal leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal alleging that there were atrocities against protesting farmers and that the movement was being linked to the Khalistanis. Harsimrat, who resigned from the Narendra Modi-led Cabinet over protests against the laws, said the farmers were braving the cold and waiting at Delhi’s borders but the government’s “eyes and ears are shut”.

“I was in the government for six years but when it became inhuman, what is the point of staying in such a government? Even when these (agriculture) ordinances were brought in, I told the Cabinet to consult more people. I was told that they will do that when the ordinances become law,” she said.

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav said the farmers were not getting minimum support price even now in several parts of the country and hit out at Prime Minister Modi’s “andolanjeevi” remark during his speech in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. “The nation attained independence through agitation. Innumerable rights were received through agitation. Women received the right to vote through agitation. Mahatma Gandhi became the Father of the Nation because he agitated...,” Yadav said. “What is being said about the agitations? That people are ‘andolanjeevi’. What should I call the people who go out to collect donations? Are they not members of ‘chandajeevi sangathan’?”

Meanwhile, in a written reply to the Lower House, Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that the government had set a target of doubling farmers’ incomes by 2022. Responding to a query on whether the target fixed for 2022 can be achieved at the present annual growth, the minister said: “The government has been pursuing the target of doubling farmers’ incomes.”

He said the implementation of various recommendations was “having a positive impact on growth of agriculture”.

Participating in the debate, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said in the Lok Sabha that the farm laws were not religious scriptures that could not be changed.

Citing the example of revoking Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, the NC chief said: “The government had not discussed the issue with us (stakeholders) nor did they discuss the farm laws with them (farmers).”

I was in govt for six years but when it became inhuman, what is the point of staying in such a government

SAD leader