Protesters should specify farm law lacunae, government will rectify: Minister
The protesting farmers should point out the shortcomings in the new farm laws so that the government can rectify them, Union Minister Bhanu Pratap Verma said on Tuesday, alleging they were tutored into the agitation by Opposition parties. His statement came on a day a large number of farmers squatted at the gates of the district headquarters in Haryana's Karnal.
Farmers have been protesting for close to 10 months now
The protesting farmers are locked in a showdown with the state's BJP-led government over a police lathi charge last month. They have been protesting against the three farm laws at Delhi border points for close to 10 months now. "Instead of being misguided by Opposition parties, farmers should point out the shortcomings in the farm laws so that they may be rectified," Verma said.
Farm laws were not enacted to benefit the BJP: Verma
"Farm laws were enacted to address the need of the people and not to benefit the BJP," the Minister of State for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises told reporters in Vrindavan. These laws try to address the issues of farmers who earlier complained they were not allowed to sell their produce in the markets of their choice so that they could get maximum benefit.
Why didn't Congress help farmers?: Verma
He said the protesting farmers are unaware of the details of farm laws and agitating since they have been tutored by Opposition parties. He asked Congress as to why it had not given the facility to farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country.
Verma disclosed the plan of making bio-paint from cow dung
"Since the elections are approaching, these parties are misguiding all the protesting farmers to accrue the political mileage," the minister alleged. The minister also disclosed the plan of making bio-paint from cow dung. He further said that the government would provide assistance including adequate training to people who want to opt for this particular trade.
He also justified the Citizenship Amendment Act
Further, justifying the enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the minister said that had minorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh not been treated like second-rate citizens there, the new law would not have been formulated. "In that case, the minorities in those countries would have been living there peacefully as minorities in India are," he concluded.
