Speaking to reporters at the Gujarat BJP headquarters, the Union textiles and women and child development minister hit out at Gandhi over his comment that the Congress, if voted to power, would scrap the contentious laws.
“He can never support a system that is meant to free small, marginal farmers from the clutches of middlemen,” the Union minister, who defeated Gandhi in Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, said in her attack.
“His dream of coming to power will never be fulfilled,” she said, adding “it is not in his nature to respect Parliamentary traditions” as he had torn an ordinance (to protect convicted lawmakers) brought in by the Congress-led UPA government, referring to a 2013 incident. “You cannot expect him to respect our Parliament,” Irani claimed.
Rahul has alleged that the Bills were passed hurriedly by the NDA-led Centre during a Parliament session amidst the pandemic. Irani, on the other hand, said the new laws give farmers the right to sell their products to anyone, anywhere at the price they deem right, but the Congress’s politics is about keeping cultivators dependent on middlemen.
President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill; Farmers’ (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill; and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, which were passed by Parliament last month.
As per the Modi government, these laws will give impetus to the agriculture sector, but Opposition and the protesting farmers say the reforms would lead to the exploitation of farmers by big private companies.
On Monday, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy lashed out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and said that if he wants to scrap the laws, he could do so in “next life” as the farmer would not give him an opportunity in this. Earlier in the day, Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh predicted a Congress majority in the next Lok Sabha polls and asked Rahul Gandhi to scrap the three laws ‘when he becomes PM’.
Speaking to ANI, Reddy took a jibe at Rahul and said that the whole country knows who Rahul Gandhi is and what his cognitive capabilities are, adding that the people of India will not give Rahul Gandhi a chance to throw the bill.
Source: Times Now
