BJP jumps into campaign mode to defend Farm Bills, condemns Opposition for ruckus

Having burnt its fingers twice over farmers' issues in the past, the BJP has entered an aggressive campaign mode to counter the Opposition's campaign against new farm laws. Meanwhile, a number of farmer organisations are up in the arms and the Opposition is ratcheting it up calling the measure a “death warrant” and “obituary of farmers”.

Immediately after the two Farm Bills were passed by the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter, to reassure that the system of Minimum Support Price will remain.

Also Read | Parliament passes two contentious Farm Bills amidst chaos and drama in Rajya Sabha

“Government procurement will continue this. We are here to serve our farmers. We will do everything possible to support them and ensure a better life for their coming generations,” said PM Modi amid the Opposition campaign against the bills primarily centring around the allegation that once the bills are passed, the farmers will not be able to get MSP.

He termed the passage of the bills a “watershed moment in the history of Indian agriculture”. He said it will ensure a complete transformation of the agriculture sector, empowering farmers with futuristic technology and will end bullying by the middlemen.

Also Read | BJP hails farm bills' passage, condemns Opposition for ruckus in Rajya Sabha

After a detailed statement by BJP President J P Nadda who said that through the bills, the government has “freed farmers from the injustice that has been continued for the last 70 years”, the BJP fielded its farmer leader face and UP leader Rajanth Singh along with a battery of ministers.

While Nadda claimed that the bills will boost the income of the farmers and make them their own bosses, Singh, who was accompanied by Prakash Javadekar, Pralhad Joshi, Thawar Chand Gehlot and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi highlighted his farming background and his stint as agriculture minister.

Alleging that confusion is being spread among farmers about the abolition of MSP and APMCs, Singh said, "I want to categorically assure farmers that under no circumstances MSP and APMC will go."

Also Read | Congress steps up protests against farm bills

Singh, however, only said, “No such provision has been in any bill earlier as well” when he was told that RSS affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch has asked why the bills do not clearly mention that farmers will continue to get the MSP.

Another RSS affiliate Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh has also flagged its reservations. Singh also flagged “political reasons” when asked about Union Minister Badal resigning from the Modi Cabinet.

The BJP also sought to remind the Congress party about its 2019 Lok Sabha election manifesto, where the party talked about repealing the APMC system, while the MSP and APMC will continue to operate.

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The Bill cost the BJP two otherwise friendly allies in Opposition-BJD and TRS, who voted against the government in Parliament this time. even after having rescued the NDA during a number of contentious bills in past.

While the BJP said the protest to the bill will peter out as had happened with the protests to the construction of Bhakra Nangal Dam, there is no let-down in farmers’ protests.

BJP lost a government in Madhya Pradesh in 2018 a year after six farmers were killed in police firing in Mandsaur in 2017. In 2015 it had to withdraw its much-touted land reform bill, which sought to make radical changes in UPA’s 2013 Land Acquisition Act.