The Congress party leaves no opportunity to play petty politics. Though the Modi government has already announced the repealing of the three farm laws, that were actually formulated for the benefit of the farmers, the grand old party leaders were seen outside the parliament ahead of the Winter Session, protesting, demanding the repealing of the farm laws. The protest was led by none other than Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi and senior party leader Rahul Gandhi.
ANI Tweeted, “Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi leads party’s protest demanding repeal of Centre’s three farm laws.” As seen in the picture shared by the news agency the Congress leaders are holding a huge poster with “We demand repeal of three black farm laws”. Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi are seen leading the crowd.
Rahul Gandhi, who has been missing from public view for weeks, has finally appeared. It was reported that he was in London.
The Congress members have reportedly gathered outside the Parliament that will reconvene today for the winter session during which as many as 26 bills are expected to be tabled, including the bill to repeal the three farm laws. The Narendra Modi-led government will bring a bill for the repeal of the agriculture laws today.
PM Modi announces the repeal of farm laws
It may be noted that PM Narendra Modi himself had addressed the nation on the 19th of November when he announced that the government had decided to repeal the 3 farm laws as the government had failed to convince a section of farmers. PM Modi had added that by the end of this month, the Modi government would complete the process of repealing the three farm laws. As assured, the centre is all set to table the bill to repeal farm laws in Lok Sabha today.
It is perplexing, however, that members of the Congress party huddled outside the Lok Sabha today, demanding something that the government has already announced.
It is pertinent to mention that the farm laws were set of three laws that allowed farmers to sell their products outside APMC act (most states make it compulsory for the farmers to sell at APMC mandis). It also allowed farmers to directly have a contract with corporate houses.
The farm laws did not do away with APMC, and if someone was not willing to trust markets outside the current system, they were free to stick to the ongoing system. It did not do away with MSPs either.
Congress and it’s double standards
Nonetheless, the Congress party, from the very start, has been opposing the farm laws. Throughout the party leaders have shared some blatant and outright lies against the new farm laws to berate the BJP government at the centre. They have been telling the world that the farm laws are “black laws” or “kaale kanoon,” and the government must take them back.
In fact, the Gandhi scion has gone to extreme lengths to instigate the farmers against the same. On July 26, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi drove a tractor to the Parliament to protest against the new farm laws. Gandhi had posted his photograph in which he was driving the tractor. He wrote, “If you force to sell the land then the tractor will run in Parliament. We will grow the crops of truth! Withdraw the anti-agriculture laws.”
However, all along its quest to berate the Modi government, the Congress party’s hypocrisy and double standards over the farm laws have been laid exposed. OpIndia has reported extensively how the Congress manifesto from 2019 General Assembly elections reveals a diametrically opposite stand of the party. The Congress manifesto for 2019 had promised the exact same reforms that the party chose to protest against.