'Did Cong give false promise in manifesto': Sitharaman to Sonia after Art 254(2) option

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday hit out at Congress over party chief Sonia Gandhi’s advice to party-ruled states to bypass the Centre's newly passed farm laws through legislative measures and said the opposition party in its 2019 Lok Sabha manifesto had promised repeal of the Agricultural Produce Market Committees Act.

In a tweet, Sitharaman pointed out that Congress had promised to make trade in agricultural produce —including exports and inter-state trade — free from all restrictions. The Minister asked if Congress had made a "false promise" during the general elections or is “provoking people now” by asking states to bypass the central legislation. "Wonder who advises their President?” she took a dig at Gandhi.

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Article 254(2) option

Sonia Gandhi on Monday advised the Congress-ruled states to explore the possibilities to pass laws in their respective states under Article 254(2) of the constitution, which allows the state legislatures to pass a law, “to negate the anti-agriculture central laws encroaching upon state’s jurisdiction under the constitution”.

“This would enable the states to bypass the unacceptable anti-farmers’ provisions in the three draconian agricultural laws including the abolition of MSP and disruption of APMCs in Congress-ruled states. This would also alleviate the farmers from the grave injustice done by the Modi Government and BJP,” a Congress statement had said.

On Sunday, President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to all three farm bills passed by the Parliament — Essential Commodities (Amendment) 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm services Act 2020 and the Farmers' produce trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act 2020.

Prime Minister Modi has assured farmers that mandis and minimum sale price will remain, allaying the main concern of farmers and lashed out at the Opposition for 'spreading rumours'.  The Centre also increased the minimum support price of wheat by Rs 50 per quintal to Rs 1,975 per quintal, to allay farmers' fears. But several states like Punjab, Maharashtra, Telangana, West Bengal, Chhatisgarh have pledged to 'not implement these laws'. 

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