Pressure stopped UPA govt from bringing farm laws, says Tomar
NEW DELHI: Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Monday said that even former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar -- who served as the agriculture minister during the UPA government -- wanted to implement reforms in the farm sector but could not due to ‘external forces’.
Tomar stated that many chief ministers had tried to implement the same farm laws that the Narendra Modi government has formulated for agriculture sector reforms in the country but could not implement them due to these external pressures.
While addressing farmer unions on Monday, Tomar said,
“Many commissions, ministers, chief minister’s and governments have made an effort to work in the direction of farm sector reform. During the UPA regime Dr Manmohan Singh and Sharad Pawar wanted to implement these reforms. However, due to some pressure, they couldn’t implement these laws.”
The statement came a day before the government is set to resume talks with farmers’ unions protesting against three Central farm laws. A joint committee of various farmers’ unions also met Narendra Singh Tomar to extend support to the farm laws on Monday.
“Now our Prime Minister is Narendra Modi. His only mission is development. His only mission is the well being of people. Any kind of force or pressure can not pressurise our PM. When these forces fail, they get frustrated,” the Union agriculture minister added. On the issue of farm laws, Tomar said, in Punjab, these ‘forces’ tried to use the shoulders of farmers for their motive. “PM Modi got 303 seats in Lok Sabha because of your blessings. Can PM Modi make such a decision that will adversely impact farmers and villagers?” the minister asked.