Agriculture bills will liberate farmers, says Smriti Irani

By Aashique Hussain
New Delhi [India], September 20 : Union Minister Smriti Irani on Sunday said that the two agriculture bills, passed by Rajya Sabha today will prove very effective in liberating the farmers of the country.
Earlier today, amid a ruckus, the Rajya Sabha passed two agriculture bills: The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020.
"Today, these historic bills passed by both houses will prove very effective in liberating the farmer of the country, with this law, the farmer will secure the land, crop and income. Why does Congress have an objection? For the Prime Minister's dream of a self-reliant India, it is necessary to increase the power of the farmers and be more prosperous, both of these bills will bring bright days in history in that direction," Irani told ANI here.
She cornered Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over Congress' 2019 manifesto. "I want to ask Rahul Gandhi ji who is tweeting and is absent from the session that was the Congress' 2019 Manifesto a black Manifesto in which it was mentioned that for the farmers to work on contract?" she asked.
The Union Minister stressed that the Congress government in various parts of the country have encouraged the farming on contract.

"Whether it is the Congress unit of Punjab, Maharashtra or Karnataka or Kamal Nath or Hooda ji, all these people have encouraged the farming on contract. Today, the country known about their acts," she said.
Irani has also condemned the "attack" on Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh.
Speaking to ANI, Irani said, "This kind of attack on the Deputy Chairman is saddening. Is it befitting to the politics of this nation? Is it right to go and break the mike at a chair on which not only the deputy chairman but also the Vice President of the nation sits?"

"The bills passed in both the houses say a lot about the freedom of farmers," she added.
Quoting from the bills, she said that a farmer can sell his produce to any person or organisation in the country at his own fixed price.
"The farmers have to be paid in three days. His land won't be sold or mortgaged," she added.
During the discussion of the bills, the rule book of Rajya Sabha was torn.
Some Opposition MPs were also removed from the well area in the Rajya Sabha. A few of them made an attempt to snatch the mike of Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh.
BJP president and Rajya Sabha member JP Nadda appealed for action against those members who violated the rules of the house.
Meanwhile, opposition parties moved a no-confidence motion against Harivansh.
The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 permits the electronic trading of farmers' produce and allows the setting up transaction platforms for facilitating direct online buying and selling of farm products.
The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 provides for a farming agreement prior to the production or rearing of any farm produce.