New Delhi, Dec 17: Accusing the Congress and other opposition parties of spreading falsehood about the new farm laws, union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday appealed to the agitating farmers not to fall prey to these “white lies” and said the Centre was ready to address all their concerns.
In an apparent attack on the left parties, the minister said they were still speaking the language they used in 1962 when India went to war with China.
The minister, in an eight-page open letter to farmers, said the Modi-government was committed to their welfare and stressed that the new legislations were aimed at benefitting small and marginal farmers.
Assuring that the minimum support price (MSP) will continue and the existing mandi system will be strengthened, the minister appealed to the farmers to dismiss “white lies being spread by politically motivated people”.
Tomar, who is leading the negotiation with about 40 farmer unions along with Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce Som Parkash, asserted that there were no provisions in these laws for corporate firms to take control of farmers’ lands.
“Many farmers’ unions have supported farm laws. But some farmer groups have created confusion. Being an agriculture minister, it is my duty to remove misconceptions and address concerns of every farmer. It is also my duty to expose the conspiracy being hatched around Delhi and present the truth and facts before you,” he said in the letter.
“It is imperative to understand the conspiracy being hatched by some political parties and organisations. It is unfortunate for the country that some intellectuals, claiming to be neutral, are shamelessly speaking contrary to their earlier positions,” he said.
Tomar said the Congress in its election manifesto had talked about providing alternative avenues for the sale of farm produce.
He also attacked the AAP and Akali Dal for change of their stance with regard to reform in the agriculture marketing system. (PTI)
