Reacting sharply to the Opposition’s criticism of the new farm laws, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said in Parliament on Friday that protests were limited to only “one state” and farmers were being “instigated”. He also said that those opposing the laws “have failed to point out a single flaw in three new farm laws”. The minister’s “one state” attack refers to the protest led by farmers mainly from Punjab, a Congress-ruled state.
“Farmer unions, Opposition parties have failed to point out a single flaw in three new farm laws,” the Agriculture Minister said in the upper house, adding that the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are committed to the welfare of farmers.
“We are not standing on prestige. We have been asking what is black in this law and no one is forthcoming,” Tomar said.
Later in the day, Tomar said that his “khoon ki kheti” jibe against the Congress in the Rajya Sabha on Friday was made in the context of a document shown by Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge. “Congress had released the document in presence of Rahul Gandhi a few days back. It was titled ‘khoon ki kheti’,” Tomar said. “My submission is that accountable political parties should not mislead people. Mallikarjun Kharge showed that document in Rajya Sabha and replied that we don’t do ‘khoon ki kheti’. We only know one way of farming that is done by water. If Congress is doing ‘khoon ki kheti’ then they must know about it,” he said.
Tomar had said in the House that everyone knows that farming is done with water. “Only Congress can practice ‘khoon ki kheti’. The BJP can never do so,” he had said.
The minister made the remarks while participating in the debate on the motion of thanks to the President’s Address.
Congress leader Rahul Gandi had released a booklet titled “kheti ka khoon” last month in support of farmers protesting against the three new farm laws.
On some Opposition leaders seeking to compare police measures in Ghazipur to “border with Pakistan”, the minister said, “I think Opposition should respect its maryada (dignity).”
Eleven rounds of talks have been between the government and the protesting farmer unions over their demand for the repeal of farm laws. The government has offered to put the new farm laws on hold for about 18 months.
Farmers have been protesting on the different borders of the national capital since 26 November last year against the three newly enacted farm laws: Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.