Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Sunday said that the nationalism is about the welfare of farmers and not delivering phoney speeches from “Nagpur wearing half-pants”.
“If you talk about the welfare of farmers than that is what real nationalism is. Nationalism is not delivering phoney speeches from Nagpur wearing half-pants,” Pilot said without naming Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as he referred RSS headquarters in Nagpur, Maharashtra in his speech.
Former deputy chief minister of Rajasthan made the remarks while addressing a rally organised by Congress party here in support of farmers protesting the new farm laws.
He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is “pushing farmers’ future into darkness”.
“At this time you are talking about love-jihad, making laws on marriages and pushing the future of farmers into darkness. History is a witness that in this country that most of the farmer leaders are from Congress party and from some other parties. There is no farmer leader from BJP and there can not be. I am sad that farmers of the country are not only protesting but they are fearful too. They are fearing for their future and their children’s future.” Pilot appealed the central government to roll back three farm laws.
“It is not a complex issue that central government can not solve. You only have to say that we are adding the provision of MSP in this law and withdraw the three laws. Central government should understand that if they take back a few laws, then there is no loss in it. We will thank them if they will take back the laws but they will not repeal laws as they are adamant,” he said.
“Making amendments in laws, withdrawing them or feeling sorry raises the stature of leaders. It is not a matter of shame,” he added.
Attacking the central government over farmers protest against the farm laws, Pilot said, “The farmers who are protesting at the borders demanding for their rights are being called as Naxals, Maoists, separatists, terrorists. These terms are being used as there is no leader in the central government who thinks for the welfare of farmers. If standing with farmers is doing politics, then we are doing it. We are supporting farmers and we will continue to do it.” Rajasthan government had on October 31 introduced three bills to counter the central farm acts. The bills were – The Essential Commodities (Special Provisions and Rajasthan Amendment) Bill 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill 2020 and the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation and Rajasthan Amendment) Bill 2020.
The bills passed by the Rajasthan Assembly are awaiting the President’s assent as of date.
Meanwhile, in Delhi, a consensus was reached on two of the four issues between protesting farmers and the Central government on December 30 on stubble burning and safeguarding power subsidies.
At the conclusion of the seventh round of talks held here on December 30, the Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar stated that the next meeting will now be held on January 4.
Farmers have been protesting at different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws – Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.
Source: Free Press Journal
