NEW DELHI: Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday accused the Congress of doublespeak and spreading lies on the agriculture bills and said the legislations were in the interest of farmers.
“Congress is spreading lies on the issue of interest of farmers as it is linked to middlemen, that’s why it is opposing the bills,” Prasad at a press conference.
He said the Congress had promised similar steps in its manifesto to what has been done by the government. “The Congress party has said the same in its 2019 manifesto. In 2007, Congress Chief Minister of Haryana Bhupendra Singh Hooda started the contract farming. Kamal Nath said that farmers need to be given open markets to sell their produce. Now that we have introduced the Bill is they are opposing it,” Prasad said.
Referring to Minimum Support Price (MSP), he said the Prime Minister has clearly stated that MSP will continue.
“Today we have announced MSP for Rabi crops. Yet the Congress is spreading the rumours.” Prasad also strongly slammed the opposition members, who were on Monday suspended for “disregarding the authority of chair” during the passage of agriculture bills in Rajya Sabha on Sunday. He said their conduct of not withdrawing from the House “is illegal and further aggravates their conduct as far as violating norms is concerned”.
Parliament passed two agriculture-related bills on Sunday. (ANI)