New Delhi, Sep 29(UNI) Attacking the opposition Congress for its protests against the farm sector bills, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that these parties are opposing the freedom of the farmers.
In an apparent reference to the Punjab Congress youth wing members setting a tractor on fire in Delhi on Monday during the protest against the new farm laws, the PM said that these parties are insulting the farmers by burning farm equipment worshipped by them.
Speaking during the launch of six mega projects in Uttarakhand under the Namami Gange project, the PM said, 'A few days ago we freed our farmers from several shackles. Now, the farmers can sell their produce to anyone, anywhere. However, today when the Central government is giving farmers the power to sell their produce anywhere, these people have come out to protest. They do not want farmers to sell their produce in an open market. They want middlemen to earn the profit. The are opposing the freedom of the farmer.'
'For years, they said that they will implement MSP (Minimum Support Price) but they never did. This was done by our government as per the recommendation of the Swaminathan Commission. Today , these people are misleading farmers on the MSP.
'I can assure the farmers that the MSP system will continue. At the same time, the farmer will be free to sell his produce anywhere. This freedom is not to the liking of some people. They are perturbed that their one more medium to earn black income is finished,' the PM said.
The PM said that these people were not thinking about the interests of the farmers youth or personnel from the armed forces.
'When the Central government brought one rank one pension, these people opposed it. For years these people didn’t do anything to empower our armed forces or the Indian Air Force. Air Force kept asking for modern fighter aircraft but they never listened to them. When our government signed a contract with France government for Rafale fighter aircraft they started having a problem. They are opposed to strengthening of Indian Air force through induction of Rafale,” PM Modi said.
The PM said that to oppose every measure implemented for the benefit of the country has become their habit.
'They are opposing everything just for the sake of opposing. When world was celebrating International Yoga Day, under India’s initiative, they were opposing Yoga in India. When Statue of Unity was being unveiled, they were opposing it. Till date, no big leader from their party has visited thee Statue of Unity. When a decision was taken to give ten per cent reservation to economically weaker sections, they opposed it,' the PM said.
The Congress has been opposing the three farm sector Bills-Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020.-passed in Parliament, describing them as anti farmer.
The party yesterday organized nationwide protests against the Bills.
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