New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Member and Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday launched an attack on the Modi-led BJP government over the farm bills and said Narendra Modi and BJP spokespersons have ‘deliberately and maliciously’ distorted the Congress Manifesto over the issue.
“The Prime Minister and the BJP spokespersons have deliberately and maliciously distorted the Congress Manifesto. We promised to promote Farmers Producer Companies/Organisations to enable farmers to access inputs, technology and markets; and to establish farmers’ markets with adequate infrastructure and support in large villages and small towns to enable the farmer to bring his/her produce and freely market the same,” Chidambaram said.
Ahead of the general elections in 2019, Congress had suggested changes to farm laws that would see the AMPC Act abolished.
This is something one of the bills proposed by the BJP government does and something pointed out by the BJP as it defends those bills.
He said the Congress would have ensured multiple accessible markets for farmers looking to sell their produce before scrapping the APMC Act.
“The Prime Minister and BJP spokespersons have deliberately and maliciously distorted the Congress manifesto. Farmers need multiple accessible markets and choices. The Congress’ proposals would have given them that,” Chidambaram said.
Congress leader pointed out that his party’s manifesto also promised to enable farmers’ companies to access technology and also set up adequate infrastructure in large villages and small towns to help them trade freely.
