'British too had done it': Ghulam Nabi Azad urges Modi govt to repeal farm laws

farm laws, farmers protest — Image Source : PTI
Ghulam Nabi Azad speaks at Rajya Sabha during the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday asked the Modi government to repeal the three farm laws without making it prestige issue. The three laws are at the heart of farmers' protest who are sitting at several Delhi border points since November last year.

"The British too had once withdrawn a farm law ruling its rule," Azad, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said while participating in the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in the House. Azad also suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself should make the announcement on repeal of the laws. The Prime Minister was present in the House at the time.

The Congress leader cited several examples, including one during his own party's rule in 1988, of the government giving in to the demands of farmers.

Referring to the violence that broke out in Delhi during farmers tractor rally on January 26, the Congress leader said the entire opposition condemns the incident as "it is against democracy". "Disrespect to the national flag cannot be tolerated," he said while demanding the strictest of actions against the culprits.

Highlighting the problems which farmers would face because of the new laws, Azad said that the government should not see repealing of the legislations as a "prestige issue". Describing farmers as "annadata", the Congress veteran said there was no point in confronting them. Instead, the government should focus on other important issues, including on revival of the economy.

Azad also demanded from the government to set up a committee to find out the whereabouts of people "who have gone missing" during the farmers' protest.

Thousands of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and west UP are demanding a rollback of the three laws -- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. They have expressed the apprehension that these laws will pave the way for the dismantling of the minimum support price (MSP) system, leaving them at the "mercy" of big corporations. However, the government has maintained that the new laws will bring better opportunities to farmers and introduce new technologies in agriculture.

Azad also made a case for restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and holding assembly elections, saying that people of the area were not happy and development work had come to halt. In 2019, the erstwhile state was bifurcated into the union territories of Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370.

Earlier in the day, five hours were added to the discussion on the president's address to also allow the raising of issues related to farm bills. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that consensus has been arrived that more time should be given for discussion on Motion of Thanks to the President.