Updated July 25th, 2021 at 14:50 IST
'No record' of deaths of protesting farmers, says Centre; Priyanka Gandhi dubs it 'insult'
After the Centre stated that it has no record of the number of farmers who died during the protest against the three agrarian laws, it drew flak from Congress
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After the Centre stated that it has no record of the number of farmers who died during the agitation against the three agrarian laws, it drew flak from Congress. In a response to an unstarred question by Lok Sabha MPs on Tuesday, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said, "The Government of India has no such record. However, Government of India during discussion with farmers’ Union appealed to them that children and elders especially women should be allowed to go home in view of the cold and COVID situation".
Writing on Twitter, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra contended that was an insult to the protesting farmers. During the duration of the Monsoon session of Parliament, farmers have started a 'Kisan Sansad' at Jantar Mantar in the national capital. A group of 200 farmers have been given special permission to conduct demonstrations from 11 am to 5 pm daily until August 9.
भाजपा सरकार ने संसद में कहा कि न तो उसने काले कृषि कानूनों पर किसानों की मंशा जानने की कोई कोशिश की और न ही उसके पास शहीद किसानों का कोई आंकड़ा है।
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi)
अपने खरबपति मित्रों का चश्मा लगाकर आंखों का पानी मार चुकी ये सरकार बस किसानों का अपमान किए जा रही है।#काले_कृषि_कानून_वापस_लो
The impasse over the farm laws
The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 aims at freeing the farmers from the constraints of the state Agriculture Produce Market Committees whereby they would be able to sell their produce anywhere. Meanwhile, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 protects and empowers farmers to engage with processors, wholesalers, large retailers, exporters for farm services. The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 specifies that the supply of foodstuffs including cereals, pulses, potatoes, edible oilseeds, and oils shall be regulated only under exceptional circumstances.
At present, the talks between the Union government and the farmers' unions have come to a standstill. This is owing to the fact that farm associations refused to agree to the Centre's proposal for suspending the implementation of the aforesaid legislation for one and a half years. The divide between the two sides further exacerbated on January 26 after the farmers' tractor rally turned violent resulting in 510 Delhi police personnel getting injured and extensive damage to public property. While the Supreme Court has stayed the implementation of the farm laws, a committee appointed by the apex court submitted its report pertaining to the legislation in a sealed cover on March 19.
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Published July 25th, 2021 at 14:50 IST